There's Truth In DNA
by Danica V
Summary: Being an investigator is taking its toll on Greg, and when the dayshift DNA tech moves to swing and then night, he'll find that best friends don't just leave after college. Enter Frankie, an old friend of his who has yet many secrets to be told.
1. Chapter 1

1

Now in his 30th year, Greg Sanders had seen much pain, suffering and most of all death in his life. There was a time when being a child prodigy was exciting and processing DNA samples completed him, but he had wanted more. The comical relief he once supplied to the lab diminished and he had turned stone cold from the emptiness of three hours of sleep each night. He sacrificed himself to answer the unsolved questions, using his knowledge of the sciences to prove his theories. The only thing that he kept with him from his growth from boyhood to manhood was his love for heavy metal. And it was on an early morning such as this one with the sun already scorching down onto the desert of Vegas, that he could really drown himself in a Marilyn Manson cd. Pondering this idea while he proceeded to leave the lab that was partially his residence, Greg realized a good album would calm his nerves.

In haste he bumped into a day-shift worker just coming on, and although he knew he had seen the woman around the lab, he couldn't put a face to a name. The two of them apologized and the woman quickly dashed off to her lab. He knew she was very attractive and it intrigued him how her neck-length black hair was cut so that it got short it the back. Too tired to think, Greg went on his way to sort out his own issues. Starting his car, he sighed at the starting up of the latest Manson album, this one held so much somber emotions, similar to what he currently held inside. Greg needed something to forget his work; more or less he needed a woman. He rolled down the window of his car, driving off into the direction of his apartment and forgetting the mysterious woman.

The strange woman stood looking into the mirror attached to her locker door. She pulled the long lengths of her hair away form her face into a small ponytail that was held together by multiple bobby pins. Her hair once had been chin-length, but letting it grow helped so that she could get it out of the way when she worked. Due to the changing of her looks and her odd way of doing her job, Ecklie referred to her as the Greg Sanders of day shift. Now that he was moved to fieldwork, she knew that she was the only eccentric lab technician left. She slammed her locker shut and walked to the DNA lab that she virtually lived in. The pile of files let her know that it was going to be a long day.

In her own 30 years, she had watched her parents' marriage fall to pieces, due to her mother's overbearing personality. Greek woman should never be in union with Italian men, she had learned this very early on in life. No, it wasn't a frequent occurrence in the whole nationality; she knew it to be only her mother. Frankie Bentivegna moved herself into the forensics field, after much confusion on her decisions. In her freshman year of college, she went from one extreme to the next, English to chem. then Philosophy and then back to Chem. It had taken her too long to figure out and when she was months away from getting her undergraduate degree, she was hit with a life-changing surprise. She had only moved to the desert of Nevada to be as far away from her mother and two older brothers Johnny and Anthony as possible. Her Eldest brother Vinny and her father Mario had opened a hotel-Casino, which meant that Frankie and her other brother Alexander had to keep the two in line.

Frankie pressed play on the CD player that she had put a misfits cd into and got down to work. DNA never ceased to amaze her, and the on-going joke between analyzers was that investigators checked under the stove for semen. The day shift workers were repulsed by her music and often spoke down to her, a trait she observed that was taught by Ecklie. She was trying to transfer to swing so that she could be in the middle of things, rather than have day shift always ragging on her. It would be nice to see Hodges every once in awhile. Not many workers requested swing, so she assumed she was in the clear.

Footsteps echoed across her lab as her shift was nearing its end. Without looking up from her microscope she spoke, "Why are you here so early?"

"Stokes has been hounding me for results of his last case, so I decided to come in." the man answered.

Frankie noted the results she was finding from the skin cells that had been found at one scene. Technically this was trace but since it was of biological material it fell under her jurisdiction. Her only dilemma was that looking through a comparison microscope she found no matches. This was bound to be just one of those cases.

"You know Hodges, maybe you should lighten up a bit more and they'll start to like you." Frankie told the man that rarely anyone could stand for too long.

"Frances—"

She corrected him. "Frankie."

He sighed; she was never going to get over the fact that her first name was beautiful. The scientist before him having grown up with four older brothers had been a project of her environment. Yet even despite the boyish characteristics she possessed he had seen the internal feminine instincts buried deep below, that Hodges was certain only came from being a mother. He was never going to understand her.

Hodges leaned against the doorway to the DNA lab, watching Frankie finish up her work and put her results into the out bin. He wondered if she'd ever switch to nightshift, she had the capabilities to get much done and they needed more help. "You know, they'd like you, you're just like Sanders when he worked DNA."

"Yeah, what happened to him again?"

"Oh he got a taste for fieldwork. Have you ever considered that?"

Frankie opened the next case file with the sealed DNA sample taken from a suspect. She logged in her signature and began to process it to compare to the samples she had processed weeks prior. "My life's too hectic to be on call, Hodges."

"Do you still live on the strip?"

She shook her head, but her full focus remained on her task at hand. Frankie was a person who had the ability to focus on a tedious task while holding a straightforward conversation with someone. "'Left the strip two years ago, it became too hectic living in my father's hotel and casino."

Hodges knew he had to begin his work and bid Frankie goodbye. She in turn shook her head at him, Hodges didn't have much people skills and she had always blamed that on the lab. Having grown up in a large family, Frankie had learned the differences in all personality types and how to deal with each. Even so, there were some things in life that completely baffled her and one of them being why it was a privilege to pay more to go to a school where scholastics were of the utmost importance. Or why young boys of single mother parents constantly questioned the idea of their birth fathers. It was something she was forcing herself to learn on her own.

Frankie wrote out her notes for the case, waiting for results that she knew might not be done by the time her shift was over. That was the price of being a scientist. Another set of footsteps entered the DNA lab, and she looked up to see a familiar blonde woman standing there. Out of all of Ecklie's lackeys, Sofia Curtis was one of the only ones she could stand, and now that she worked with the night shift none of the day investigators gave Frankie respect. Another acceptable reason why she should switch to swing shift.

Sofia cleared her throat, "I hear you're asking to be put on swing, nobody asks for that."

"Well you know how day shift treats their analyzers, and it will be easier to raise my son if I can see him off to school and pick him up from practice before I have to go in." I explained.

"Ecklie's going to want to talk to you, you might be better off just switching to night shift."

Frankie nodded, checking on the machine running the test for her DNA sample. It gave her the sample back, processed and ready to be compared to the other. Sofia became forgotten as Frankie began to make her comparison analysis on the two samples. It was a match. She filled out the rest of the file, putting it in the out bin for whoever was on the case to take. Frankie cleaned up her station, unplugging all machines so not to waste the lab's electricity. She took her lab coat off and folded it in her arms. Sofia was gone already, but Frankie paid it no mind, she shoved her coat in her locker and pulled the pins out of her short hair. She liked the eccentric edge she gave off. She walked outside to the afternoon sun, got in her car and sped away with Danzig blasting out of her stereo.


	2. Chapter 2

The scrape of blades against fresh ice grazed the hearing of the young mother. Her footsteps were barely heard in the midst of sticks hitting each other and the coach's commands for order. At the tender age of 8, Dorian began to play hockey at the request of his grandfather. Having been raised to respect his elders, he had joined a local team for young beginners in the sport. He was a smart kid, wise beyond his years and knew doing such an activity would get him to forget how much his mother was gone. She was a workingwoman and had built her career around him, graduating a few months prior to giving birth and then taking a year off to care for him. She had sacrificed all she had for him and Dorian Bentivegna would always be grateful for that. His stick collided with his teammates due to his lack of focus, and when his coach blew the final whistle, he was relieved to see his mom.

Frankie smiled at her son, waving to him to signal to take his time in the locker room. Unfortunately for her Dorian's coach came to stand by her on the other side of the ice. She scoffed, since she showed up at his practice he would not stop flirting with her. She had dealt with too many of those guys in college, that now she was done with scumbags. His smile made her cringe.

"You got a great kid there, Franny." He started up.

She glared. "Frankie. And I know, we share alleles."

"So what do you say—"

"No."

"You don't even know my quest—"

This time her son's presence interrupted the coach. Frankie turned away from the coach to smile at her offspring. Her arm went around his shoulder as they walked out of the rink together. He began to talk a mile a minute of his day, up until they arrived him. Frankie only had to nod to let him know she was taking in all the information. She once had the same habit, but had grown out of it. Her father would say that life had matured her too much, making his baby much too serious. Nevertheless, subconsciously she had passed down this trait to her son, and she enjoyed every minute of it.

She told him to shower and start his homework while she began to start dinner. Emerging from the basement was their permanent houseguest, Alexander, who had always been Frankie's support system. They were the youngest of Mario and Cassandra's clan, only nine months apart and everyone considered them twins. They came from two polar opposites of the intelligence spectrum, where Frankie was the scientist, and Alexander was a starving artist. The basement served as his personal lair and studio, yet he was not isolated from his baby sister's life. It was his duty to watch out for her and stayed so that his young nephew without a father could have some sort of male influence. Frankie's however, thought that would make Dorian a chauvinist, but Alexander just wanted the best for little Dorian.

Alexander sat down at the kitchen table, while his sister stirred the noodles boiling in a pot on the stove. His hands were caked in oil pastels, the pigments beginning to grow underneath his fingernails, but that was normal for him. "Wash your hands before dinner." She commanded.

He sighed, getting up and soaped up his hands underneath the ice-cold water of the sink. "Rough day at work?"

She shook her head. "Just tedious is all. I wanna switch to swing that way I can see Dorian off to school and fix up the house during the day."

"What if they want you on the night shift?"

Frankie shook her head. "Highly unlikely, they already have Wendy. Hey so what happened with you and Jake?"

"We broke up again, but now I don't care because I just wanna focus on my art. By the way, have you seen your son's artistic abilities? I'm a trained professional and he's one step below that. Was his father some sort of super genius?"

She shrugged. "Perhaps."

Dorian came down the stairs and began to animatedly tell his mother and uncle about what had went on during practice. Hockey was the only sport Frankie enjoyed, so having her son express an interest in it made her happy. She set the table and began to distribute to her two favorite boys spaghetti and just the right amount of meat sauce. She sat at the end of the table listening to the two talk, until her son asked the question he repetitively kept asking.

"Mom, why can't you tell me who my father is?"

Frankie sighed. "Dorian Riley, we've had this discussion before."

"I know, but I just want to know him."

"Sweetheart, I've made a lot of mistakes in my life and you'll understand when you're older why we have no contact."

"Can you just tell me about him?"

She sighed again, "I suppose it won't hurt. Your father was a good man, caring and always there for a friend in need. We went to college together, he helped me to decide my major, for he also majored in Chemistry. He had a scientific career ahead of him that I didn't want to get in the way of."

"But you did it, why couldn't he?"

Frankie stood up from the kitchen table to put away her plate. "Some things just have to be left alone."

Thinking back, she realized whom it was she had run into that morning.

Meanwhile back at the crime lab Greg Sanders was distracted. Nick was stating his feelings on a case they had been working together, but Greg's mind was elsewhere. He couldn't get the woman he had run into out of head. He knew that he had seen her before besides the lab, but couldn't place her. Nick knew his coworker wasn't all there as he spoke.

"Greg, what's the problem?" Nick Stokes asked.

"Sorry, I ran into this day shift worker today and I know we've met elsewhere but I don't know where."

"Do you know her name?"

Greg shook his head. "She had black hair that is neck length, then towards the back gets short, she was really pretty too."

Something clicked in Nick's head. "That's Frankie, rumor has it she gets along with Hodges."

Greg's mouth was agape. "I thought that was impossible."


	3. Chapter 3

Frankie arrived to work bright and early to start processing the DNA sample she knew would have been sent her way, as well as getting the results from the tests she had previously run. Instead Ecklie called her into his office upon her arrival. She was typically on good terms with him, but sometimes she just would not kiss ass. That was the difference between her and most of the day shift. She took a seat folding her hands into her lap and awaiting her supervisor's words.

"Francesca—"

"Please, Frankie."

Ecklie ignored her. "I can switch you over to swing but there is a chance that you may be moving to night. Wendy's mother had grown ill and to be with her she may be moving back to San Fran."

"I'll adapt, I would just rather no longer be working days. Now if you excuse me, I have some DNA to start processing."

Frankie went back to her lab and began processing DNA. She sighed when swabbing a used condom; it was ironic how she worked with the one thing that screwed her over. When Frankie found out she was pregnant, she took it upon herself to raise her child on her own Dorian's father had been a great friend, but she knew sleeping with him had been a mistake and wasn't about to let him ruin his career over their child. She suddenly stopped answering his calls and when she finally finished graduate school she applied to the Las Vegas Crime Lab, thinking he would have just stayed in California. Luckily they had no contact, but she was growing frustrated with her son continuously asking about him. Frankie just wanted to forget about him.

She was happy to leave at her regular hour, to drive back to the ice rink where her son practiced. Her life had become routine, but she wouldn't trade motherhood for anything. Dorian produced a letter to his mother when he hopped into her trans am and asked her if he'd be getting a Chem Set for his birthday. Frankie read over the letter twice to make sure she was hearing the school correctly. She sighed and began to drive home before discussing its contents with her eight-year old. When he showered, she read it over once more. The words excelling, gifted, acceleration and challenged stuck out to her. All of Dorian's teachers were convinced that he needed to be moved up a grade for the third grade wasn't challenging him enough. She knew this was supposed to be his decision, not hers.

Frankie neglected to cook dinner, but sat Dorian down at the kitchen table. "Dorian, do you understand what this is?"

"Am I in trouble?"

Frankie shook her head. "No, I enrolled you at Butterfield Academy because I knew the program there would challenge you, but all your teachers want you to be put into the next grade. Now sweetie, this is your decision, so I want you to think about it."

"I have momma, and I think I want to do it."

Frankie smiled and kissed her son's forehead. "What do you say about pizza tonight?" Seeing the twinkle in his hazel eyes was the only answer his mother needed.

At the crime lab, Greg Sanders headed toward the Trace Analysis Lab and it wasn't for evidence. He found Hodges in the middle of processing, but he wanted to get the information he was seeking. Hodges looked at Sanders in annoyance, "What is it?"

"I hear you get along with the DNA analyzer from Day-shift."

"Yes, and your point?" Hodges asked.

Greg sighed. "Who is she?"

"Well, Francesca is an interesting woman, one of five, a single mother, lives with her gay brother and listens to solely hard/punk rock. She's switching to swing, so you'll probably meet her."

"Frankie's short for Francesca?"

Hodges sighed. "Sanders, what's your point?"

" I ran into her the other day, I feel like I've met her before coming to Vegas."

"I think you just need to get some rest. However she did go to Stanford."

Greg began to ponder things he remembered from college. "Frankie Bentivegna? No way."

Hodges shrugged. "Whatever, I have things to process."

Greg left with newfound information about a woman he used to care so dearly for. She had a kid though, did that mean she had been married? He decided to head back to the evaluation room with Nick to go over what they knew about their current case. The suspect was sloppy, leaving prints everywhere, as if he wanted to be caught. It was an open and shut case, but they still had to find a match and that meant waiting for results from Mandy.


	4. Chapter 4

Frankie finally switched to swing and she liked it better. Seeing her old friend Hodges was good, but she only wished he was more outgoing and less of a kiss-ass. He loved his job more than anything and Frankie could relate to that, but sometimes he took it too far. Dorian was getting on fine in school, each day he was becoming more interested in science and that made his mother proud. Frankie knew that his father would have been proud of his son if he were involved in his life. He was persistent in asking about his father and she resisted giving him answers. She knew that she had to talk to her father on advice about this if anything.

On her break she shut her lab down and went outside. A cigarette went untouched tucked behind her ear when she dialed Mario Bentivegna's personal cell number. She had grown-up into a large family plagued with connections to the mob, and she was certain that the body she found in the lake of her hometown of Newark was the product of her cousin Joey. Frankie's father chose the life of managing business rather than killing for which she had always been grateful. The Mafia presence that ran through her family was what she thought made her get into this career. She could never be an investigator, but she'd stick to the lab.

"Talk to me." The gruff voice answered.

"Hey daddy." She greeted.

His voice changed from the rough business one to the caring one she was familiar with. "Oh hey Sugar, what's wrong?"

"I'm on break right now, and no I haven't lit the cigarette its behind my ear, I promised I'd try to quit. It's just I need some advice on Dorian."

"He's asking about his father again, isn't he?"

"Yeah, I mean I can't explain it to him. His father had a good scientific career ahead of him and if I had told him I had gotten pregnant, he would have dropped all his dreams, gotten a job and provided for me. I never wanted that and I just don't know what to do."

"Well honey, I think this means that Dorian needs a father figure and maybe if you swallow your pride you'll tell him the name of his birth father. The best think you can do is to continue to tell him that it was your decision to not involve his father and that he can blame you if anyone."

"Thanks Daddy, I really appreciate all the support over the years, and I know fighting for me wasn't worth your marriage."

Frankie heard her father sigh on the other line. "You know that her disapproval of you and Alexander was just the last straw. I once loved that woman but after five children and her uppity nature of how everything had to be perfect, I gave up. Don't blame yourself Francesca, or Dorian, because I know he's the best thing that's ever happened to you."

"Thanks Dad, I owe you one." Frankie told her father and then hung up her phone.

She pulled the cigarette out of her ear and placed the white stick and her cell phone into her purse. She stowed her purse into her locker and then walked back to her lab where a tall dark-haired man was standing. "Can I help you?"

He held out his hand. "Nick Stokes, you must be Frankie the new swing shift DNA tech."

She shook his hand. "It's a pleasure. What can I do for you?"

"Do you have the DNA sample processed from the Adams' case?"

Frankie went over to the out bin where she had finished the case file the other day. She opened it and handed it over to the csi. "The semen found on the bed sheet isn't the suspects, but it does have seven alleles in common. So you're looking for a brother, father or son. The blood comes up as matching and also two unknown donors.

He furrowed his brow. "Are you sure?"

"I double checked, it all checks out."

"Okay, thanks Frankie, hey if Wendy goes go back home I'd be glad to have you on as DNA."

She shrugged. "It's better for me to do swing, my son needs me there sometimes."

"Single mother? I didn't notice a ring."

"Yeah, you'd be surprised the things you forget when Alcohol and a pretty boy come into play."

Nick laughed. "Well thanks again."

She got back to work and hadn't heard the other csi enter. He was oddly quiet and watched her as she worked. He saw it in her now, the girl he once knew less than a decade ago, now transformed into a woman who had seen some tough times. He wanted to speak anything to her, but he could only watch her test the samples for an ongoing case. He had tried to forget her, but something had tugged at his heartstrings to never let her go. So much had changed, but by the music in the air, he knew that she held the most important things close to heart. He wondered if she still had that beautifully tattoo that covered her lower back. He watched her walk across the room and placed her sample into the machine. When she turned back she saw him watching and gasped in surprise.

Greg Sanders smiled at the girl he had lost all contact with after a stupid mistake on his part. Frankie Bentivegna was shocked to see the guy who had been her confidant throughout college standing there watching her. She was preparing for this day to come but it was still unexpected. She had ignored his presence since Ecklie began to compare them, but she always knew her past would catch up to her, and the best friend she had abandoned would confront her.

Greg's lips curled up into a smile. "Hello Aphrodite."

"Greg? Wow, no one's called me that in a long time."

He crossed the room to stand across from her, the lab table in-between them. "Why did you stop talking to me?"

"Look Greg, things happen, my parents divorced, Alexander came out of the closet, I got pregnant…" She trailed off.

"What was his name?"

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

"Frankie, we used to be the best of friends."

Frankie sighed. "Look all you need to know is that he was a scientist too, and I never told him about our son."

"You had a boy? What's his name?"

A wide smile conceived by pride painted across her face. "Dorian. He's been moved up a grade, he plays hockey and he already expresses a love of science."

Greg smiled at Frankie. "That sounds good, hey if you ever need anything give me a call. I'm always going to be your best friend."

He left on that note, before she could speak anything else. She looked down at the slip of paper Greg had left on her lab table and she immediately pocketed it. She smiled, she needed her best friend back.


	5. Chapter 5

Greg Sanders sat in his apartment looking through a shoebox of old memories. He remembered the first day on campus when he found out that this beautiful girl from New Jersey lived across the hall and her name was Frankie. She had been the first to welcome him and she had asked his advice on a major. Her roommate and his were boning and eventually they became familiar with sleeping in the same room. He found a picture of them at a party with her smiling and his arm slung across her shoulders both wielding beers that were probably half-empty. Greg liked to play off that playboy party-er act, but only Frankie knew the truth about him. Deep down he was a hopeless romantic whose only love was for science.

He put the picture down and lifted another of a similar look but this had been for when he had asked her to accompany him on a double date with another friend who was nervous and needed encouragement. Being this other guy's friend as well Frankie obliged to helping him out and attending dinner with Greg. Greg had worn a dark green silk shirt with pin-stripe pants and his signature chucks. She had her hair elegantly curled flowing down her back since then she wore her hair to mermaid-like lengths, and the deep green dress that fell above her knees pulled her curves together by a thick white belt matching her shoes. Greg remembered looking at his best friend differently that night and trying to will himself from wanting to get her out of that dress. He sighed, stacking the photos that laid spread out on his bed into a pile and put them back into the box. All these years he had longed to see her again and she had been right under his nose. He wondered if she knew that he had worked in the crime lab before meeting again when she switched to swing.

Although they had returned to being best friends, Greg knew she was holding out. Every time he'd offer to do something after work she'd turn him down, that wasn't the Frankie he knew. He knew she was a single-mother, but what bothered him was that she had yet to let him meet her son Dorian. He had a feeling it was because of that night he took it too far, but he didn't blame her he just wished he never ruined her and that he could have his sweet Aphrodite back.

He laid back on the bed, but knew he had to get to work. He dressed quickly, taking his kit and left to get to the lab as soon as possible. He was happy to have been handed an easy B & E when assignments were given out, for the last case he did had worked him to the bone. But when he showed up to see the amounts of blood at the scene, he knew it was not just an open and shut case.

Frankie had been practically living in her lab, only to depart when Wendy would come on. She was a fast worker and always paged her CSIs when she got her results. This annoyed the lingering dayshift investigators, but swing and graveyard were happy about it. It was how Greg was and Wendy, so they liked that about Frankie. She had been avoiding him but only because work was getting to her. She was relieved to have Wendy show up, so that she could finally leave.

She ran into a police officer on her way to the locker room. She knew he looked familiar somehow. "Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going."

The older man smiled. "It's alright, you're the new swing DNA tech? I'm captain Jim Brass."

She cringed, she knew he looked familiar and knew why. "I swear I'm not drunk hiding behind the mausoleum in the cemetery."

"You're Mario's little girl, the one that found the body in the lake."

She nodded. "Yeah. It's good to see you again officer. I'm a good kid I swear!"

He smirked at her. "Stay out of trouble kiddo."

"I always do." Frankie replied and walked into the locker room.

She opened her locker and pulled out her purse. She took the bobby pins and hair ties out of her hair and discarded them into her purse. She took out her cigarettes and pulled a stick out of the pack to stick behind her ear. She hadn't actually smoked in over a year; it was more of a comforting habit. She slammed her locker shut and walked out, but only to be stopped by Greg who was just coming on shift. Frankie tried to just wave and leave, but he had noticed the white stick behind her ear.

"I thought you quit. You told me you did, for me." He stated.

"I did, then I started again. I haven't smoked in a year, it's just a comfort thing. Aries, please don't look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like I'm a disappointment."

Greg started to speak but she raised a finger to his lips. "Just go do what you do best."

Frankie had no idea of the tumult of emotions that was running through her friend's mind. Nor that he held his breath from the close proximity. She slipped away to go along home and the only thing that resonated in her mind was that she hoped Greg had an easy night. The night was young and she decided since the weekend was beginning, she'd take her son to see his grandfather. When she walked inside he was watching tv and Alexander was most likely in the basement painting.

"Hey kiddo, are you up for seeing Papa Mario tonight?"

Frankie didn't need an answer, she knew her son that well.


	6. Chapter 6

She stood in front of the mirror rubbing x-hold gel into her hands and into the back of her hair. She used a pick comb to give it form, teasing it and then she sprayed hairspray all in the back. She wore a ripped up black flag t-shirt, tight black jeans and chuck tailors she probably had since freshman year of high school. Dorian entered backstage and watched his mother prepare for her performance. Alexander was tuning up his guitar and their long time friends Mia and Rocco were getting a hold on their own instruments. Once a month Aphrodite's Palace held a punk night down in the bar and sometimes Frankie, her brother and their two friends would play. They did some original songs, but mostly what the general public wanted to hear.

Frankie turned to her son. "Are you going to watch us from back here?"

He nodded. "Andre will stay back and keep watch."

She bent down and kissed the top of his head. "That's my boy. Alright, let's go."

She stepped on the stage with a cocky air about her. "We're gonna start out with one you should be familiar with." She tapped her foot to the beat Rocco held and rushed into the song.

I "I've got something to say: I killed a baby today, and it doesn't matter much to me anyway, as long as its dead. I've got something to say…" /I 

Dorian watched his mother perform from backstage with his grandfather's bodyguard keeping an eye out. Aphrodite's Palace was the name of Mario Bentivegna's hotel and he had worked his way into the business from the ground up. Dorian was always amazed at his mother; she was superhuman to him and could do no wrong. She was the smartest person he knew and he looked up to her for guidance whenever needed. Even so he kept pressing her for information on his father, he had even asked if it was his mother's friend Hodges and that had only made her mad. He respected her wishes, for she knew what was best for him.

A hand being placed on his shoulder startled him, but when he turned he was relieved to see his grandfather. Mario smiled at his grandson, Dorian was the most amazing kid and never once had he judged his daughter. People made mistakes in life, but he wasn't about to hold that against her. His ex-wife Cassandra did and his other two sons followed her lead, and because of that Mario left them out of the will. As much as he wanted his daughter to marry and give Dorian a father, he didn't see it forth coming.

"She's quite an amazing woman, isn't she?" Mario asked his grandson.

Dorian watched his mother on stage and smiled back at his grandfather. "Hey Papa Mario! She really is, she's my mother after all."

"Don't be mad at her for not telling you about your father, she won't tell me either."

They watched the woman, who held so much passion for everything she did; perform a few more songs on the stage. She came off stage all smiles and the next band was ready to perform. She hugged her dad and ruffled up Dorian's hair. "Was Vinny acting as a security guard?"

Mario nodded. "You know your brother, he protects you two. Oh and David stopped by, he said that he'll be over for dinner tomorrow night."

"Hodges?"

Mario nodded again. "Yeah, he's like another brother for you."

Frankie scoffed, "Like I really need another one of those." She looked over at her son talking with her brother. "I'm going to shower and then we're gonna head home."

Mario hugged his daughter one last time and placed a kiss on the crown of her head.

Frankie poured the stick noodles into the boiling pot, transforming into limp noodles within the pot. Minutes ago she had sent Dorian into the dinning room with six plates and sets of silverware so that he could set the table. He needed to be kept busy while she cooked so she put him to work. She stirred the noodles in the boiling pot with one hand and stirred the sauce in the pot cooking on the other burner. The oven beeped and she put a lid on both pots, opened the oven with thick cloths in both hands and pulled out the baked Parmesan chicken. She cut off a piece and tested it feeling that it was perfect. Frankie lifted the lid off of the spaghetti pot and began to stir some more, debating on if the noodles had been cooked well enough.

Alexander walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge to pull out the bowl of salad. "Dad and Vinny are here, so is David."

She nodded and put the lid on the pot. "Go start with the salad and I'll finish up here." Frankie could already hear the men conversing loudly at the dinner table.

Dorian was intently listening to David Hodges explain this board game idea. Dorian was a smart kid, more so than other, but since Hodges geared it for ages 8 and up he needed an expert's opinion. Dorian was glad to lend a hand. Hodges was an interesting man, but Dorian would never want him for a father, albeit he was glad that he protected his mother. Hodges was just another uncle for him. Ironically Dorian had a lot of male influences in his life. Papa Mario, his uncles Alexander and Vinny, as well as his mother's friend Hodges, but despite this he wanted to know his birth father.

Back in the kitchen Frankie turned the stove off and began to drain the water from the pot of spaghetti. Alexander took out the chicken into the dinning room and set it down on the table, to turn around and find his sister following behind him with the rest of the food. "Alright boys dinner's ready."

Mario Bentivegna marveled at how well domesticated his little spitfire had become and how her cooking exceeded what he may have though. Clarissa taught her daughter one good thing, but even more so Frankie's grandmother. "Grandmamma would be proud, Francesca."


	7. Chapter 7

Greg opened his refrigerator and was displeased with the contents of it being just a case of beer and ketchup. Sometimes his job made him forget to do normal things like shop for groceries. Being of an over-worked mind, he decided to not go out and buy something, but rather to order take-out. Before doing that he decided to call for an expert's opinion. He sat patiently waiting, sitting on his couch listening to the rings of the phone on his line.

"Hello?"

"Hey Frankie, what is your opinion on the best take-out Italian food in Vegas?" He asked.

He heard laughter in the background and then the movement of the phone indicating that she had went to a separate room from whomever she had over. "Greg, don't tell me you still forget to buy your groceries. Don't waste your money, come to my house and I'll feed you."

"No,no, I couldn't—"

"Shut up, and get over here now. Do you have a pen handy? Ok…"

After hanging up the phone with Greg, Frankie entered the dinning room and took her seat again. Her brothers were conversing loudly, and Hodges was speaking to her son. Her father was the only one to notice her disappearance by the ring of the phone. "Who was that?"

"Oh, just a friend, he's going to be joining us soon." She told him.

Hodges turned in question, "Not a certain investigator we work with, correct?"

Frankie waved a hand at him. "David, drop it, Greg and I were dear friends in college prior."

Alexander recognized the name, and wondered if it was the same Greg he threatened to give cement shoes and swim with the fishes if he hurt Frankie. "Greg Sanders, the one you lived with?"

Frankie nodded. "Yes, not hush and eat up my boys."

Frankie let her mind wander by twirling her spaghetti around on her fork. Greg and her had lost a great relationship but she was willing to work to have her confidant back. She wondered if inviting him over had been a truly wise decision, but she had that nurturing side to her to make sure all the men in her life ate a hearty and healthy meal. It had to be genetics. She finished quickly what little she ate and entered the kitchen again to retrieve a clean plate from the cabinet, as well as place her dirty one in the sink. She heard the doorbell and her father go to answer it, which was better than Alexander or Vinny. Frankie came into the dining room with the clean plate and began to pile food onto it.

She greeted Greg with a hug, whose eyes were already wide with fear at seeing her overprotective family. "Dad, Alexander, Vinny, you remember Greg from college, don't you? Hodges and I work with him at the crime lab; he's an investigator. Oh and Greg this is my son Dorian."

Dorian said his hello to the man his mother had invited over. There was something about him, but he couldn't quite figure it out. Hodges looked at his watch and stood up. "I think I'm gonna get going, thanks for dinner Frankie. Keep up the good work in school Dorian."

She walked Hodges to the door and told him she'd see him on Monday. It probably wasn't a good idea to leave Greg in the presence of her brothers, and it became obvious when she walked back into the dinning room and noticed the tension. Frankie could hear the sound of a hockey game on the tv, alerting her that her father had moved to the living room. She glared at her brothers and began to clear their empty plates when Dorian stopped his mother.

"Mom, I'll do the dishes tonight."

"Honey, you don't have to, go watch the game with Papa."

Dorian shook his head and collected the dirty plates. He did what he could to help out around the house, because he hated to see his mother so exhausted. He knew even if she refused, she was grateful for the help. He let his mind wander while he rinsed off the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. He didn't know who this Greg guy was, but his mother seemed fond of him and he felt that this man was not a threat to her.

Back in the dining room Frankie took a seat beside Greg, and her two brothers joined their father. "I bet the devils are playing. So what did they say to you?"

Greg laughed and took another bite of his chicken Parmesan. "Nothing that they didn't say to me when we got an apartment together."

"Sorry, they can be really stupid."

"Your son Dorian seems like a good kid. How did that happen?"

Frankie shrugged. "No idea. Dorian's the type of kid to do his homework before watching TV, when he does it's to watch court TV or the discovery channel. He's a good kid and he's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I think motherhood has grounded me, I'm more responsible, I can focus on eight things at once and I stopped drinking, for the most part at least."

Greg smiled at her as he finished eating. She took his plate into the kitchen and he followed her. Dorian had just finished cleaning up and the dishwasher was left ajar, so Frankie placed the dirty plate in it and ruffled her son's hair. "Hey kiddo, I'm reliving you of duty."

Dorian nodded and directed his attention to Greg. "What's it like to be an investigator?"

Greg smiled. "It's the best thing in the world. Do you like science?"

Dorian nodded.

"Do you like puzzles, Dorian?"

"Yes."

Greg smiled again. "I think you have a future csi on your hands, Frankie."

Frankie smiled. Dorian demised himself from the room, claiming to do his homework. Frankie shook her head, the only thing normal about her boy was that he played hockey. She turned to her friend, "He likes you."

"You've got a great kid on your hands, takes after his mother."

She sighed. "Nerdxcore."

Greg laughed. "When are you moving to graveyard?"

"Wendy said she's going on leave for a few weeks, a sabbatical if you will, and transferring to San Fran to help her mother out. I think Hodges is upset."

"So it's true, he does have a thing for her."

"You didn't hear it from me. Does this feel weird?"

"What?"

"Us, Greg, slipping back into being best friends, without even questioning where it went wrong?"

"Honestly no, you had your reasons to back away and I'm willing to respect that by not questioning it."


	8. Chapter 8

Frank sat idly at the analysis computer watching the DNA being scanned and compared to all of those in CODIS. It was going to take awhile, so she opened the next file in her bin and began to prepare her samples. It was going to be a long night. It was rough now that Wendy was on her leave and Frankie was pulling double shifts until the lab brought someone to fill swing while she took over graveyard for Wendy. The upside was seeing Greg more often and renewing the friendship that she had walked away from. The downside was seeing Hodges so down, and being the mother she was she spoke encouragingly and made him his favorite food whenever he came over. No one knew what he felt for Wendy except for Frankie. Going back to her work, she had used the restriction enzymes to break the DNA out of its casings to start the process of making a DNA fingerprint of the sample. She'd be the first to admit it sounded boring, but she loved being a lab rat.

The time was ticking away, but getting results back would take much time and it was tiring, but she had learned to be patient. Frankie needed a break soon, maybe to call her brother and ask how Dorian's game went or to eat. However her dedication to her work came first and she tried to run evidence as fast as it could be done, knowing full well it would take much time. Sometimes she wondered if teaching bio or Chem would have been easier but Frankie Bentivegna did not take the easy road.

Nick interrupted her for a few seconds on results that had finished when she started earlier on during swing. Nick was pleased with the results but noticed how the woman in her early thirties was worn out. Lab techs rarely ever worked double-shifts unless due to major cases, but Nick also noticed she had other things stressing her out. He thought one of those might be the change in Greg as of late. When Nick didn't leave, she noticed.

"Do you need something else?" Frankie asked.

"Actually yes, have you eaten yet?" At the shake of her head he continued, "I'm waiting on other results, let's go talk over dinner or whatever meal this is considered." 

Frankie was reluctant to leave her lab, but she did need a break and she trusted Nick. He looked the part of a Ladies Man but at the same time proved to be quite the southern gentleman. She had learned this firsthand by him holding open the door for her, something she was not accustomed to and never had a boyfriend do for her. Frankie knew the only guy that did that was Greg and she really didn't know what to make of that. She welcomed Nick's company, despite where the small talk was heading.

"How are you holding up on graveyard?" He asked.

"I'm just stressed from working double-shift every night, but I'm pretty much set with everything else." Frankie told her coworker.

"So I noticed something different about Greg even more so than all the changes he's gone through."

Frankie didn't let Nick get another word in. "Look, let me be straight with you: Greg and I are best friends and not much more. Greg was the first person that ever treated me like an equal."

Nick nodded at her words, but he still wasn't buying it. He didn't mention it to Frankie and played it off as curiosity. "I was just surprised to have the old Greg back." 

She raised a brow, "The old Greg?"

"Yeah, when Greg started out in the field and after the fiasco of his attack and lawsuit, he had me worried I'd never see the fun-loving guy that used to give me DNA results."

"You know, he doesn't know this, but I visited him both times his job landed him in the hospital. I've known he has worked here just as long as I have, I just assumed our paths would never cross."

Nick noticed she was hiding something about their past, and he was eager to learn what that was. "He never told me why you two stopped being friends. Care to enlighten me?"

She looked at her watch and quickly stood up to get rid of her trash. She turned back to Nick, "That's another story entirely." With a flash of a smirk she headed out the door on her own and back into the lab with more piled of evidence. She sat down and banged her head on her desk then casually turned up Minor Threat, and dove straight into work.

Her eyes were blurry and red from looking down the scope for the past 18 hours and Frankie knew she was reaching her limit. There was still so much to do after only having finished running one case of evidence completely. Although it had come with three different blood and semen samples to be compared to the unknown collected at the scene. Even so, she was cutting into the daylight and she'd pull into the driveway only to take Dorian to school. Swing was good for her, but working swing and graveyard was taking its toll on her. She powered down all her machines and made her way to the locker room. Frankie didn't bother taking out her hair from its bobby pins but she was having trouble finding her legs when they were already in her hand. Discovering this she sighed and made the exhausting trip to the parking lot.

Before sticking her key into the ignition, a familiar voice called from outside the open driver's side window. "Hey, are you going to be alright driving home?"

"I'm tried not drunk, Cath, but I appreciate the concern."

"Are you sure? I can go get Greg…"

"No! I'm fine on my own."

She sped away and Catharine threw a sideways glance to Greg who was just getting to his car. He recognized Catharine's concern, but also knew Frankie liked her independence and he always respected that. Not having that woman in his life had seemed so more boring than it was and he knew he needed her to keep him on his toes. She was different than most, an unusual mother, intelligent as hell, and the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. She proved to be an enigma, but he liked the challenge in solving her puzzle.

"Don't let this one get away like Sara did." Cath warned.

Greg just sighed and got into his car. He already felt like she had.


	9. Chapter 9

Lacking any sufficient sleep and being at work far too early, Frankie began to run her DNA tests earlier in order to put a dent in all her backed up files. It was noon and she knew she wouldn't even leave until five in the morning as usual. Double shifts were wearing her down and she was waiting for a temp to either full her place on swing or Wendy's graveyard. Soon Ecklie was going to hear a complaint. Warrick had an extensive amount of blood and semen samples and she has gotten a hit on a match, which was just as exciting for her as for him.

When she paged him he was glad for the good news, for now he could do some questioning. "Glad to help Warrick, you still working swing?"

He nodded. "You're not working graveyard tonight are you?"

Frankie sighed. "I have to sub for Wendy."

Warrick shook his head. "If you don't speak to Ecklie about this, I will."

She smiled. "I appreciate the concern, but I'll manage."

He smiled at her. "You're like Greg's female counterpart, aren't you?"

She shrugged. "I've been told that."

As soon as Warrick left Greg rushed in. "Frankie."

She looked up at him surprised. "You look over dressed Greg, and far too early."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to flatten it but only succeeded in tousling it. He looked a little disheveled and Frankie noted that he buttoned his shirt wrong. "I have a court case in an hour, but can you fix me?"

Frankie laughed and started to run her next DNA fingerprint test. She discarded her gloves into the bin underneath her workstation and led him out of the lab and into the break room. Greg's eyes followed her back, noticing that she was wearing a black pencil skirt, stockings and white heels to accent her white and black striped blouse. It was rare that she dressed in skirts to work, so he knew something was up. She made him stand still, as her fingers brushed against his chest unbuttoning his shirt and then re-buttoning it correctly. Her hands smoothed out the wrinkles in his shirt and then moved to smooth down his hair.

"Do you have a comb?" She asked.

He handed it to her and she worked her magic on his hair, making him look the part of the professional. He hugged her and kissed her cheek, "Thanks Frankie, but I have to go."

In slight shock she watched him go, and could feel that tug on her heartstrings. Shaking her head, she almost ran into one of her coworkers. Her eyes widened in surprise at a familiar face. "Henry? I didn't know you worked here."

He shrugged. "I guess that never came up when we were together."

Frankie nodded, feeling awkward speaking with her ex-boyfriend whom she stopped all communication with. She had a habit of cutting off contact with people. "So…umm…how have you been?"

"Good, and you? And Dorian, how is he?"

She smiled proudly. "He skipped a grade."

"That's good for him, he's smart like his mother."

"And his father…" She mumbled under her breath.

"What?" Henry asked.

"Oh, nothing. Hey you want to go out for coffee sometime? You know, to catch up?"

The toxicologist nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. "That would be nice, after all we're still friends."

"Good, well I've got blood and semen to get back to."

He laughed. "Don't be so subtle."

She called back when she was walking out of the doorway, "Subtle means nothing in Jersey."

Henry watched her rush back into her lab and ran about running as many tests as she could. They had once had something good together but the love didn't last and it had been mutual to end it on good terms. He had been meaning to speak with her and was glad she had offered to get together. He needed to know that she was happy, because as a concerned friend, he knew she deserved a man to treat her right and become the father for her child. He was able to achieve that, but he thought someone else needed to and he had an idea of whom.

As much as Frankie didn't want to be still at the lab processing evidence, she had a job to do and got right down to it. She didn't notice any of the men involved in her life observing her. Hodges, although still saddened by Wendy's departure needed some female advice, and he knew first hand that Frankie could sort him out. Greg who had been at a crime scene all night after his court case, was hovering at the door with multiple samples collected to be processed. He had been down this road and knew her struggles, but wasn't prepared on what to do next. Henry watched her work and Greg stare after her; he definitely needed to speak to his ex over coffee. There were some skeletons that needed to be cleaned out of their closets.

In an instant, Greg entered the room, donned a lab coat and put his evidence at the bottom of the pile. Frankie looked up with a quizzical look smeared across her face. Greg just smiled at her, "Let's get to work."


	10. Chapter 10

_I from her ruby lips a giggle erupted, her body shaking softly to make the can she held between her fingers rattle. He smiled against her neck where his lip caused the sound. His vision was blurred and his mind was set on only her. Her shirt was too tight and constricting against her full chest, while those jeans squeezed her ass in just the right way. He reached out and took the can away from her, placing it on the counter and then swiftly pushed her on top of it, her legs wrapping around his waist. He couldn't recall the removal of his shirt between their sloppy kisses, but lifting her shirt above her head was more than memorable. His memory evaded him, he only saw the trail of their clothes to one of their rooms leading them to the bed. Misguided and not aware of their actions, skin pressed against skin. Her silky voice whispered in his ear…_

"Greg, Greg! GREGORY HOJEM SANDERS!" Frankie screamed into the young investigator's ear, who had fallen asleep at the break room table.

He bolted upright into a seated position and noticed he was flushed. The stress of his job had gotten to him, evoking his unnatural slumber. He needed a release. He found it hard to look at her while she spoke, and he let out a sigh when she departed, leaving him with results. He rubbed his face and went to find Catharine to give her their new results. He perused the report and grinned, Frankie had helped break their case. He found Catharine in the layout room looking through their case file and all the photos from the scene.

"Hey Cath, we got a break through, thanks to Aphrodite." Greg told his superior, not realizing his choice in words.

"Who?"

He shook his head. "Sorry, old habit. Frankie ran some DNA and we have results."

He gave her the file, to which Catharine glanced over and then looked up at her colleague. "Why do you call her that?"

"Frankie's half Greek, it's her middle name."

Catharine nodded and Greg tried to ignore the suspicious look in her eyes.

In the locker room, Frankie was depositing her bobby pins into the top shelf and running her hands through her hair to give it that edge she liked so much. She had gotten a lot of evidence logged in and knew it was safe enough to clock out. She slammed the door of her locker and nearly jumped at Henry standing there.

"Henry, don't do that!" She scolded.

He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, you done?"

She nodded. "Why? You wanna go for that coffee now?"

He nodded. "Yea. Let's get to it."

He placed a friendly hand on the small of her back, guiding the two of them to the parking lot. This didn't go unnoticed, for at that moment Greg had looked up from his work spacing out and noticing his best friend departing. He knew the resentment he felt and was attempting to ignore it, but Catharine who was working beside him on laying out the suspect's bloody clothes on the white sheet of paper, noticed immediately. Before having to say anything to him, Greg snapped out of it and went back to his work, hoping it would help him forget it. Little did Greg know that in the coffee shop Henry was helping the older man on so many levels.

Henry watched Frankie dip her head closer to her large mug and take a sip of the dark liquid. "What's with you and Greg?" He asked.

Frankie sighed and placed her cup again on the table in front of her. "Not you too, Henry. Look, Greg protected me in college and kept me out of trouble when my brothers couldn't. We never dated, if that's what you want to know."

"But there was something there."

She took another sip. "Perhaps, but Greg and I are simply best friends, I mean yeah I broke up with many boyfriends because they clashed, but Greg's my best friend. Have you heard from Wendy?"

Henry shook his head, but wasn't letting the topic go. "Mandy called her a week ago, she's coping and missing the lab. Is it true that Greg didn't lose his virginity until he was 22?"

"Henry! Enough about Greg Sanders. What have you been up to? And yes, as far as I am aware."

Henry sighed and put his own coffee cup down. "It's just I worry about you and even though I didn't make you happy, someone else can. I see the way he looks at you and how you bend over backwards to take care of him. Maybe it's the history you two have or because of your maternal instincts, but I think you two could have something."

Frankie looked down at her watch, not particularly pleased with the way the conversation was going. She had asked Henry out for coffee to hear about what he has been doing lately and to reestablish their friendship. She didn't want to hear him of all people telling her to go after Greg Sanders. "You know, I have to get going and take my kid to school." She stood up and kissed Henry on the cheek. "I'll see you later and perhaps we can do this again sometime without speaking of Greg."

Henry nodded at the older woman that he couldn't help but want to save. Frankie Bentivegna would only be saved on her on accord, no one else's. He knew he shouldn't have questioned it for he knew she did what she pleased. Sighing in defeat, Henry departed from the shop and made his way home. As for Frankie she almost got pulled over trying to get home in time to fix breakfast for her son. Immersing herself into working all the time had put a damper on their relationship and Frankie was not pleased about it. Worst of all, he had asked her if Greg was his father and she wasn't about to start that argument. Dorian was only eight; they weren't supposed to start fighting until he was at least thirteen. Although she feared the mother conflict she had with her own was passed down to make Dorian despise her and that wasn't something she was prepared for.

She put the keys into the front door and slowly opened it, trying to be as quiet as possible so she didn't wake either of the boys occupying the house. The smell of fresh brewed coffee alerted her that one of them was awake. Seeing both of them sitting there in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal each, and Alexander sipping a coffee flavored milk was a surprise to her. Frankie crossed the room and left a kiss on Dorian's head. He smiled at his mother, but he could tell she was completely stressed out, and that worried him.

"Hey mom, are you okay?"

Frankie nodded. "Isn't it still too early for you to be up?"

Dorian shook his head. "We should leave in the next ten minutes."

"Oh, I must have taken longer when I went out for coffee with Henry. You remember Henry, don't you? He works graveyard shift as the toxicologist in the lab. Leave your bowl sweetheart, I'll clean up, you just go get ready for school."

Dorian left the room and Frankie went about cleaning what was on the kitchen table. Alexander halted her, "Francesca, Johnny called."

She nodded. "We spoke, he apologized for taking the bitch's side and he said he wanted to come out and meet Dorian. I think he misses being our second eldest brother."

"I know, just be careful sis, I worry about you."

"I know Alexander, but Johnny could never hurt anyone it's our other brother that I fear the most."

Dorian entered the room ready to leave and Frankie smiled at her bright young son. "Alright, let's go."

The sounds of thrashing drums and deep bass erupted into her car, while Frankie drove her only son to school. The transplants had been a popular favorite with Dorian, even though that shampoo commercial distorted their image. Dorian recited the events of his last hockey game and how he had scored a goal, while they stay idle at the red light. When the light changed, Frankie's foot tapped the gas but she hadn't seen the premeditated acceleration of the crossing vehicle ramming into the side of the car. All she could worry about was her son's well being until the smoke and fog sent her into the great abyss.

Author's note: Props to anyone that understands the line about the transplants and a shampoo commerical


	11. Chapter 11

Greg Sanders had just pulled up to his apartment complex after a long shift working with Catharine. He had been tempted to go see Frankie and ask her about what was with her and Henry, but he thought against it. If he knew her like he thought he did, she would be pissed about him butting into her personal life. Greg got out of his car and walked into the lobby of the complex that he lived in and then up the stairs to his apartment door. The ringing of the phone caused him to halt opening the door. With a sigh he flipped the phone open resting it against his shoulder and unlocked the door at the same time.

"Sanders." He breathed out in frustration, thinking the call was from work.

An unfamiliar voice greeted him. "Mr. Gregory Sanders?"

"This is he."

"Mr. Sanders, I'm with Desert Palms hospital and we have a Dorian—"

"Oh! Is his mother there then? Does she need to call out for her shift tonight?" He asked.

"Sir, Miss Bentivegna is passed out and the doctors are trying to wake her but we need you to come down right away. Dorian has a bruised side and is currently sleeping from the whiplash, but due to his mother's state we need you to sign your son out once the doctor's give the okay."

Greg's throat closed at her last word. "Son? I'm not sure you have this right. Did Frankie tell you to call me?"

"No sir, but hospital protocol makes us call the next of kin and on Dorian's birth records your name is written as the father."

Greg sighed, after a long shift he really just wanted to go to sleep, but this new information changed everything. He ignored the annoyance seeping into him and the sorrow for never knowing. Greg had a feeling Frankie had no idea they called him or that they dropped the bomb on her secret. He told the woman he would be leaving right away, hung up the phone and went in reverse leaving his apartment. His keys were jammed by his tired hands into the ignition of his car and he tried not to think too much as he made his way to the hospital. This changed everything, but it also cleared up a lot. Her reluctance to speak with him upon realizing they both worked at the lab, the way she had parted from him at Stanford and her refusal to speak the name of the father of her child. Of course she wouldn't tell Greg his name, it was him.

Greg found the front desk easily and was immediately given the room numbers that Dorian and his mother were being kept in. He wanted to see Dorian first, and when he found the 8-year-old boy asleep in the hospital bed, he could see it. His hair was dark like his mother's, but he had a facial structure identical to Greg, and a few similar birthmarks adorning his face. Greg had seen this boy several times but never saw the family resemblance until now, even when Frankie invited him to dinner he couldn't see it. Greg crossed the room to sit in the chair beside the bed and to wait for the boy to wake up. He wondered if his son could tell that they were related, he faintly remembered Dorian mentioning one time that they had the same chocolate colored eyes.

Not thinking, Greg's hand came to the boy's face and brushed a few strands of hair out of his closed eyes. Deep brown eyes staring up at him startled Greg, but his shocked expression soon turned into a smile. "Hey Dorian."

"Greg?" The boy groaned. "Where's my mom?"

"I haven't seen her yet, but Dorian I need to tell you something important. Dorian, if your mother had told me, I would have been there and I want you to know that—"

"Greg!" A sharp bark of an order came from the door and the man in question turned to see a disheveled and pissed off Frankie. Her eyes narrowed slits at him. "Don't."

"They told me I needed to sign him out. Are you okay?"

She ignored him and went straight over the bed where her son laid. She planted a motherly kiss on his forehead. "Baby, I was so worried. Are you alright?"

He nodded, but when he sat up he winced. "My side hurts."

"The impact of the car hitting the side of our car forced you to the other side of it. The doctors just now decided to keep you for the night, but I'll be free to go once I have someone to look after me."

"I will." Greg piped up.

"Why did they call you Greg? It's not a crime scene now is it?" She asked.

Greg shook his head. "No, they said his birth records make him mine, and that as his father I can sign him out. I don't know why they called me to sign him out if they decided to keep him. So when were you going to tell either of us?"

Her voice dropped dangerously low. "Greg, we will talk about this later. Dorian sweetie, I'm going to get you out of here as soon as I can baby."

Dorian looked between his mother and the man he now learned to be his father. It made sense for them to have no contact for years because of his mother, but he was glad to know it to be Greg. Greg would take care of her. Dorian just wished she'd let the man love her, for he could see the love in her eyes whenever she looked at him.

"Mom, I was right?"

Frankie nodded, but Greg was confused. "What?"

She sighed. "Dorian asked if you were his father, but right now you need to go home."

"Who's going to stay with you?" He asked.

"I'm fine on my own, I'll see you at work." She told him and turned her attention to Dorian. "Sweetie you get some sleep and we'll talk later, all three of us."

As much as he wanted to ask why his father never knew about him, he knew he should sleep. He had a feeling his parents had a lot to talk about, even though his mother was avoiding it. One thing was sure though, he was glad it was Greg and not anyone else. Frankie kissed her son on the cheek and walked out of the hospital room with Greg trailing behind her. He caught her arm to stop her from walking away from him, resulting in an angry glare sent in his direction. It wasn't the first time he had seen that expression cross her porcelain face, and considering the recent events he knew it wouldn't be the last.

"Francesca, we have to talk about this." He urged.

"I have nothing to say to you. I need to get home so that I can go into work later and so do you."

"No, you're calling out, you obviously have a concussion and someone needs to be there with you."

"The lab needs me."

"Frankie, call out, I'll take over the lab work."

Even though she hated to admit it, Greg was still the sweetest guy she had ever met. Her issues with not telling him about Dorian were primarily because she knew he would instantly want to marry her. She was beginning to wonder if that really was such a bad thing. "Greg…you don't have to do that, I couldn't ask that of you."

Greg gave her the look that in college made her knees weak, and it appeared like it still did. He placed his hands on her shoulders and recognized the fear laden in her eyes for her child. "Francesca, I understand your stubborn nature and need for independence, but right now you need me, Dorian, my son needs me and you have to let your guard down. For once in your life Francesca, let someone take care of you. Let me take care of you."

Looking into the eyes that were identical to her son's, Frankie Bentivegna realized she made a big mistake eight years ago. And it wasn't losing her virginity to Greg Sanders.


	12. Chapter 12

He clocked in a familiar position; one that he was good at but also left him restless. The feel of working in latex, hunched over machines with blood and semen was familiar territory for Greg. He was doing it for her. When he had taken her home her father was already there ready to take care of his only daughter. Mario had been thankful to Greg, and although he didn't come out and spill the truth he just learned, Mario chose to be blind to why the man was with his daughter. She was a wreck and Greg had called out of work for her, explaining to his supervisor that they'd be short an investigator but that he'd take her place in the lab. Grissom had understood, feeling grateful that Greg had matured enough to recognize someone had to be in the lab. Besides Ecklie had called him about an accident that was being considered intentional and the car that had been hit came up as belonging to Francesca Bentivegna.

"Hey…Oh, you're not Frankie. Greg, why are you working the lab?" Hodges asked without any kind of smart remark. Everyone knew that Greg and Hodges didn't get along, but they tried for their mutual friend at times. Greg was absolutely certain this wasn't one of those times, because he too had noticed the change in the trace analyst.

"Frankie got in an accident and I think she had a concussion, her and Dorian should be fine but I told her I'd take over lab work for her shifts. I think she over works herself." Greg replied.

Hodges nodded. "Yeah she does that. I'm not sure when Wendy will be back either."

Greg noticed a certain look in the older man's eyes when he mentioned the graveyard shift DNA analyst. "Hodges, do you miss her?"

"Look Sanders, I've already had this conversation with Frankie, and I'm not about to have it with you too."

Greg smirked, it was true: Hodges was completely in love with Wendy Simms DNA analyst for graveyard shift. Before Greg could say much more he felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. He had told Frankie to call if anything was wrong and since he had just put a specimen in the gcms, he had time to answer. Hodges also took that as his cue to go back to his lab.

"Greg, it wasn't an accident." Frankie's voice alerted him, which wavered like she had been crying.

"Are you all right? Do you know who did this?" He asked with much concern for the woman that had stolen his heart a decade ago.

He could hear her sigh. "My brother, Anthony, the one that hates me. I think he's involved with the mob or something, but he stood by my mother in disowning me for getting pregnant before marriage and Daddy took him out of the will. How can someone endanger the life of a child? Their own kin too, Greg I'm going to need you to…"

"As soon as shifts over, I'll go right over to the hospital and get him. Frankie, are you all right?"

There was a long pause but when she spoke her voice faltered as if she was about to cry. "I'll…I'll be fine. I have to go, Brass needs to ask me a few more questions. And Greg?"

"Yeah, Frankie?"

"I'm sorry, I never meant for this to happen, I'm just sorry."

Greg said his goodbyes to the mother of his child and got back to running the tests he could. On the other end at the police station Frankie hung up her cell phone and her father placed a hand on her shoulder. "Greg's going to pick up Dorian after shift and yes I can tell now, it was Greg."

Mario smiled at his daughter. "Good, because I always liked Gregory, he was a good man to you back then. I know you didn't tell him because you didn't want him marrying you and dropping out of school just to support you."

Brass entering the room to speak with her, kept Frankie from responding to her father. Brass looked upon Frankie as a daughter, it may have been a Jersey thing or because she reminded him of an Ellie who didn't disobey the law. "Frankie, why would your brother do this?"

"He hated me and when I announced to the family I was pregnant he nearly crucified me. I'm not afraid for my life, but for the lives of my child and Greg."

"Sanders? Why him?"

"Greg is Dorian's father. I just hope Anthony doesn't know that."


	13. Chapter 13

Upon returning to work, Frankie went to go see Grissom. Brass was handling the case of her accident, by trying to locate her brother Anthony but she didn't need Greg anywhere near it. The morning after last shift, He had brought Dorian home and in thanks for doing her a favor, she cooked breakfast for everyone. Greg and Dorian were rather fond of each other and he had made sure she rested some more by taking his son to school. She was at a loss for what to do at this point regarding their relationship, but sleep begged for her focus before they could have the talk that Frankie was dreading. She had a feeling things were going to end horribly.

Grissom looked up from his notes at the sound of her knocking and gestured for her to come inside. "Greg told me about your accident, is everything okay?"

She stood in front of his desk idly, not willing to take a seat, for she knew that the conversation had to be quick due to the lab's backup. "Yes, it wasn't an accident though. The car that hit me did it on purpose and it was one of my brothers, the one that hates me. I just really don't want Greg anywhere near this."

"He shouldn't be, but why not?"

"Greg just found out he has a son, that we have a son, whose life was put in danger and I have no idea how he'll react to this. I just thought since you are our supervisor you should know. Well, I have to get to my lab, I need to start some more DNA tests."

"You know, you're wearing yourself down. I'm having a Temp placed on swing in a few days. I know you like swing but your talents and intelligence is needed to fill Wendy's place while she's gone." Grissom informed the young woman.

Frankie nodded. "Is Wendy coming back?"

"She'll be back."

Frankie bid her supervisor farewell and headed to her lab. Greg had started running a few tests to develop a DNA fingerprint for the current case that she was testing blood to. It was a case that Catharine and Nick were working on; a girl was found home alone with multiple stab wounds and it appeared to be a B&E gone wrong. That was not her job to figure out, and to be quite honest she wouldn't want it to be either. Frankie was happy using refractive enzymes to break DNA out of its casings to be compared to any DNA found at the scene. Yesterday Greg had made a fingerprint of the victim's DNA and now Frankie went through the process of breaking down the other samples of blood found at the scene. Sometimes it only took two days to get samples back, depending on the quantity of the source, but that would also be only if she worked a 24-hour shift. Typically DNA testing was complete in four days.

It still surprised her when one of the many criminalists' that worked in the lab demanded results right away. She would tell them repeatedly that it would take some time, but that didn't mean they understood. Greg was a mediator of sorts between the field workers and lab workers, for he knew the extensive nature that went with testing evidence but he also knew the frustration that came to crimnalists when they didn't have conclusive evidence. She admired him for that, among other reasons. Recently, Frankie had felt an overwhelming sense of nostalgia from having the eccentric Californian back in her life. Even with the unfortunate series of events, she was glad he was protecting her again, and she felt the weight on her shoulders being lifted off from finally having revealed the truth.

Down the hall Greg debated with Warrick the theory of their current dead body case. Warrick and Greg's relationship was not all amicable, but the more experienced investigator had taught Greg a great deal. Now both men had turmoil plaguing their lives, while all in the same they were trying to decide on a precise reconstruction. It wasn't adding up and while Greg, ever the optimist; saw the scene as an accident, whilst Warrick was absolutely certain there was foul play. There had been no blood at the scene, only tools strewn across the garage where the victim was found. The window had been broken into and a broken string was found near the body. Greg saw the evidence as someone broke in and the victim had been shocked, so she tripped over the string and fell off her chair at the workbench. The autopsy ruled blunt-force trauma as the COD, and Greg thought it was possible that she died by hitting the hard floor of her garage. While Warrick agreed that his explanation was a logical one, a broken window, string and three different hammers at the scene led him to believe it was a sinister act.

Absentmindedly, Greg stared at the space on the wall behind his coworker, not comprehending the words coming from Warrick's mouth. The older man had noticed this immediately from seeing the glazed over look in Greg's eyes. Warrick sighed at the younger man, "Greg, she's just down the hall."

Greg shook his head at his coworker, "No, it's not that. It's just…Warrick, I have a kid."

Warrick shot Greg an incredulous look, "Since when?"

"Apparently eight years, but she just never told me."

Warrick began to put two and two together about Greg's revelation. "So, you and Frankie have a kid?"

Greg nodded. "It's a little much for me to just now be finding out, but we still need to talk about it."

"Greg, do that now, I need you to be focused on this."

Greg left the room without another word, and sped down the hall to find Frankie. She had her back to him and when she turned around from the machine she was currently using. She was startled to see him. "Greg, what's wrong?"

"We need to talk, can you take your break?"

"I guess I'll have to then."

Frankie ditched her lab coat and hung it on the hook to follow Greg into the break room. His hand rested on the small of her back, guiding her to the break room and he even pulled out a chair for her. He grabbed her lunch from the refrigerator and took the seat next to her. "Frankie, we need to talk about this. Why couldn't you tell me?"

"Greg, I was 22 and I had no idea what to do, so I fled. No one knew it was you, I refused to tell them. You had a dream and I wasn't about to let the fact that I was pregnant halt your dreams. I know you Greg, I knew you would have dropped everything, taken a job you hated and tried to marry me. I wasn't about to let that happen."

She took a bite of her pasta and waited for him to say anything, and when she was met with silence, she changed the subject. "What did you talk about when you took him to school?"

"It doesn't matter. God, Francesca, he's my son, you could have at least told me. My son has been without his father for eight fucking years and you weren't going to do anything about that! You're logic is so twisted."

Frankie put her fork down and glared at him. "You know what Gregory? You have no idea how hard it was for me to get to my career being a single mother, I didn't need your help then and I'm not asking for it now. You wanna be in Dorian's life? Fine, that's great, just stay out of mine."

"Francesca…look, I'm just frustrated and I wanna make things right between us. I'm sick of us fighting, we used to be so close and I want that back. I want my best friend back."

She sighed. "I know, I want that too, but Greg, it's not going to be that easy. I don't even know how to go about this."

"Hey, we'll get through this, I promise. How about, we start spending more time together and see what happens. I want to spend time with Dorian too, god I barely know the kid and he's my flesh and blood"

A small smile inched its way across the woman's face. "He looks just like you, I'm surprised you never noticed it. He's exactly like you too: smart, funny, caring, and let's not forget very talkative."

A prideful smirk was then placed on Greg's face. "We're going to do things right Frankie, and I promise that I'll be the best damn father for Dorian."


	14. Chapter 14

It was when Frankie was on her way of walking out of the crime lab, when she realized that her car was still under investigation. She groaned in defeat and walked straight back inside, in search of Hodges, who she knew was still working in the lab. The older man had looked up at the sound of footsteps echoing off the floor of the trace lab. "What's wrong?"

Frankie sighed. "I don't have a car, would you give me a ride home?"

Hodges nodded. "Of course, just let me finish up here."

Frankie smiled in relief. "Thanks, I'm just gonna call my brother and tell me to take Dorian to school."

She ventured into the break room and called her brother. Due to being exhausted from her shift, She was half-paying attention to Alexander's ramblings about this new guy he had just met. Things between her and Greg were still a little unresolved, and she wanted to fix it, if not for their friendship but at least for the sake of their son.

"FRANKIE!" Alexander screamed to get his sister's attention.

"Sorry, I'm so tired, Alexander. What were you saying?"

"Greg told me that Dorian told him that he was glad he was right and that he knows Greg will take care of you and make you happy."

Frankie sighed, so even her eight-year old son saw the way her face lit up whenever she was with Greg. She wasn't going to lie to herself anymore. She knew she was still hopelessly in love with Greg Sanders. "When did he say this to you?"

"Oh a few minutes ago, he came over to see Dorian and he'll probably take him to school again. Before you get angry, little sister, Dorian is his kid too and he deserves to spend time with him."

Out of the corner of her eye, Frankie saw Hodges waiting for her in the doorway of the break room, so she said her goodbyes to her brother. Then she followed Hodges out to his car, and was thankful that she had found a good friend in him when she interned at the LA lab. She hadn't spoken to him outside of work for a while, and she knew something had been bothering him. He started his car and they were silent for a few minutes of driving, until Hodges let out a sigh.

"I'm taking a few days off, but I'll be back on Monday." He announced.

Frankie was surprised at his announcement; Hodges would never take off unless he absolutely had to. Automatically she was worried. "What's going on?"

"Wendy called me last night, she's a mess and she needs someone. I miss her, and even though she probably wanted me to get Mandy to come see her, I think I need to go see her."

"I think she needs you and wants you with her if she called you. You should go. Is her mother doing any better?"

"She didn't say, I already told Grissom that I'm going to make sure Wendy's stable. However, you might need to pick up the slack with Trace."

Hodges had pulled onto her street, when Frankie said to him, "That's okay, I'll get my stuff done and knowing Greg he'll end up helping me."

He had pulled up into her driveway, but that nagging question was laying in his mind and he had to ask, "Is Greg Dorian's father?"

Frankie sighed. "Yes. Look, I know you're mad that I never told you, but I had my reasons. Greg didn't know until the hospital called him, for no real reason, when Dorian and I were in that car crash."

"Frankie, I'm not mad at you. Listen, I may not particularly like Sanders, but I know he cares about you. That's the only thing that really matters, and I see that look in your eye when he's with you."

Frankie smiled at her friend, so he saw it too. "Dave, go to Wendy, we'll be fine in the lab. I'll see you around, thanks for the ride."

Frankie sighed for the hundredth time that day, and walked inside the house. Alexander wasn't in sight, so she assumed he was in the basement painting or drawing or whatever artists did. He didn't work til noon, which was good for his art, though their father let Alexander wait tables in his hotel/casino whenever he wanted. She dismissed it, and went to her bedroom where she eventually passed out from exhaustion.


	15. Chapter 15

"Mom! Wake-up!" Dorian's voice coming from above Frankie woke her from her sleep.

Frankie rolled over to look at her son, freshly clean from showering after practice. She realized that Greg or her brother must have taken him. "Hey sweetie, how are you? Was practice okay?"

Dorian's excitement made him forget why he needed to wake his mother in the first place. He began to relay to her how he was doing so well in school and that he loved playing hockey, for he knew the sense of pride she got out of hearing it from him. "Greg—Dad, he told me to start calling him Dad, took me to school and to hockey practice. He even stayed to watch too!"

Frankie cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, he did?"

"Oh! Dad's here right now with a police man, they need to talk to you."

Frankie yawned and nodded. "Okay, I'll be right down, I need to change for work anyway."

She changed quickly and decided to spike the back of her hair, before going down the stairs. It was becoming more and more true each day, that she was the female version of Greg Sanders. She was surprised that Greg had taken so much action in his fatherly duties so soon, but she was glad that he had. Greg had every right to be pissed at her for never telling him, and she wanted to make everything right between them, she just didn't know how. She wasn't surprised when she was met with Captain Brass and Greg at her dinning room table. Dorian handed her a cup of coffee, which she graciously accepted and she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Dorian, sweetie, why don't you go in the other room and start your homework. Uncle Vinny and Aunt Lucy should be here anytime soon."

Dorian did as was asked of him, allowing the three adults privacy to talk. Frankie took a seat and a sip of coffee before addressing the two men. "What's going on?"

Brass started in first, "We found your brother, but he's not talking."

"Prick." She muttered under her breath, and then switched her gaze to Greg. "Tell me you're not involved in this, tell me that Ecklie didn't let you investigate my car."

"I didn't, Id'ed Anthony, he threatened me the most when we lived together in California."

"When can I get my car back?"

Brass shrugged. "That's on Ecklie."

Frankie sighed, and then she would never know. "I want to see him, can I talk to him?"

"Frankie—"

"Greg, shut up. Brass, can I see him?"

Brass answered her, "You can watch us ask him more questions but you can't be in the same room."

Before she could say anything more, the door opened and in walked her oldest brother and his wife Lucy with their two boys running in to go see their cousin. Frankie stood up and greeted her sister-in-law who was heavily pregnant. "Hey Luc, thanks for keeping an eye on my boy tonight. I have to go, but you know where the keys are, so lock up when you take Dorian to your house."

Lucy smiled at her sister-in-law. Lucy knew Frankie's job was stressful, but knew she would be keyed in on her personal life later. At the very least Vinny would tell her anyway. She wasn't sure who the two men where in the living room with her sister-in-law, but the younger one looked an awful lot like her nephew. That made her very suspicious of him, despite that she was already suspicious of any men in the presence of Frankie. The poor girl had been through hell, and Lucy wouldn't stand to see it happen again.

Frankie headed out the door with Brass and Greg following her. She held her car keys in her hand, but once she got out into her driveway she realized she still didn't have her car back. "Fuck." She let slip out.

Greg smirked at her profanity. "Don't worry, I'll drive you."

She let out a sigh, but let herself into his SUV as Brass headed to his own car. Greg climbed into the driver's seat and started the car. The ride was silent but not that awkward type. He knew she needed her space and he was in a confused emotional state already. Basically he wanted to be there for his son, but also for her, despite how she refused to let him take care of her. Francesca Bentivegna was the only woman he had ever loved, and he knew there was no one like her out there. She bolted, as he predicted she would, once he parked his car at the police station. Brass followed the barely 30-year-old woman, to question her brother who made an attempt on her life, while Greg lagged behind. Greg had the urge to rip the prick apart that had hurt Frankie, and ironically it was the man that had threatened to give him cement shoes if anything ever happened to her.

Frankie stepped into the room behind the deceptive mirror and looked on at her 32 year old brother Anthony. He looked like scum, and she was none too please to hear his judgmental voice speak on her life. She was so focused, that she barely recognized the door opening again, or the feeling of an arm around the small of her back. She did notice the familiar cologne; she swore Greg wore it on purpose. The two looked on and watched the train wreck going on in the interrogation room.

Brass glared at the sleaze ball of a man that was Frankie's brother. He truly did not understand the logic that people had. "Mr. Bentivegna, attempted murder means jail time, you know that, don't you? Now why don't you tell me what possessed you to try and kill your sister and her eight-year-old son?"

"Bitch had it coming. The stupid slut got herself pregnant in college, and then she decides to be a DNA analyst. Women don't do that, they're either housewives for teachers." Anthony told Captain Brass.

"I'm sure your sister and many of my female coworkers would disagree with you. so what about the boy?"

Anthony shrugged. "He's a bastard child, his fate was to die."

On the other side of the mirror, Greg could feel his anger welling up inside. Anthony never liked him, and he always though the man to be an asshole, especially to Frankie. He looked down at her, "Are you all right?"

"Of course not. Can you just take me to work?"

Greg nodded, pulling the woman away from hearing any other horrendous things about her life. Her silence told him that her mood was going to be off the entire night. She really needed a break, but with Hodges taking a few days off that was impossible. He knew when she bolted again for her lab, that shift was going to be long and agonizing.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**Obviously I don't own them.**

**Jauntychick: **I just love you, you always leave me good reviews, what a great kid. hah. well anyway, yes i hate Anthony too, so much. But don't worry he'll get his soon, you may have to bit a little bit though.

**Mustlovegreg:**Yes it is from diamonds and guns, glad to see someone noticed my reference. hah

**Lovingreg247: **I'm glad you like it so much. :

**Slappywhite:**thanks! Even more will be coming soon. don't worry, things will get resolved.

* * *

Days later on a Friday, Greg was still in the midst of working on the tool garage victim case with Warrick. Warrick had gone to Mandy to check the status of the prints they had sent her way, while Greg was going over to trace to check if Frankie had time to look at the strings found at the scene. He knew she was upset when he came into the lab and didn't hear the misfits or any type of horror punk, but the smashing pumpkins. She was a wreck and it looked like she hadn't been sleeping. She didn't look up from her microscope, but knew that he had just walked in by her speaking up, "It's not conclusive, it appears to be broken but with string like this it could have been cut, although it seems random for this case. That's not my job to figure out though. Fingerprints from Mandy should tell you more."

Greg didn't move from his position in front of the lab table, but rather he just watched her. Sensing eyes on her, she looked up after noting her findings for the current case she was testing. "What?"

"You're listening to Siamese Dream, you only listen to that when you're upset." He noted.

She shook her head and began running a sample on the GCMS. "It's nothing Greg, I'm fine. Look, I have a lot of work to do tonight, we'll have to talk later."

"Do you have plans tomorrow?"

"Yes to spend the day with Dorian. He has a hockey game at noon. You can come if you want to, he'll want you too."

Greg nodded. "He already asked me to. Do you have plans tomorrow night?"

She shook her head. "Why?"

"Let me take you out."

"No."

"Frankie, you need a release—"

She cut him off quickly accompanied with wide eyes. "Now I'm definitely saying no."

Greg shook his head. "I didn't mean it like that. I know being short staffed gets you stressed, so let me just take you out for dinner, and we'll talk just like old times."

She smirked. "As long as you don't get me drunk and make me watch porn with you."

Greg laughed at a memory of one of their drunken stories during college. It was probably one of the more noteworthy of their stories, which they both vowed to never speak of to anyone but each other. He couldn't help but smiling about it either. "I gotta go look through stuff with Warrick, but if you need help, don't hesitate to page me."

Frankie shook her head while she watched Greg's retreating form. She had no idea what she was doing with that man. Ignoring the nagging thoughts plucking at her heartstrings, she went back to her microscope.

* * *

Noon the next day, Frankie sat in one of the bleachers of the ice rink. Mario and Vinny could not attend Dorian's game, but Lucy had brought her two sons Joey and Quinn to watch their cousin do what he did best. Frankie told her sister-in-law to go home and rest, for hockey games could cause stress on pregnant women. On the left side of her sat her brother Alexander and on the right was Greg. A smile spread across her face at the smile he bore while watching his son play hockey, even if it was Peewee Hockey.

"My mother never would let me play sports, definitely not hockey." Greg announced.

Frankie nodded. "I know, I've met your mother, she's a sweet and loving mother but just a little paranoid."

Greg laughed. "Sweetheart, you don't even know the half of it. So is our boy on defense today?"

She nodded. "They rotate positions."

Sitting on the stand beside Greg, she barely noticed his hot breath hitting her ear or his hand on her thigh clutching her smaller one. Hockey forced her to focus, especially when her kid had a game. As for Greg, he hadn't even realized the affectionate displays he was giving to the woman beside him, until he caught the eyes of her brother. Alexander sent a warning glare at the man, for he did not trust him upon learning Greg Sanders was his nephew's father. Frankie was either oblivious to the tension between the men, or she choose to ignore it. After all, her entire life her brothers over-protected her when it came to boys. She was thankful she had sex with Greg eight years ago, because it was a miracle that she ever lost her virginity in the first place.

The issue with her wrathful brother Anthony had not resurfaced, but her car was finally in the shop. Due to this Greg had been around the house more often in the last few days to help her with transportation. She had been glad though, because Dorian got to see his father and she also felt like the more she saw him outside of work, the more they returned to being the best of friends. Yesterday she had said no to him taking her to dinner, but watching this hockey game in probably the only ice rink in all of Vegas, Frankie was psyched for it. She hoped the two of them had a better chance to catch up on what they missed out on in the last decade of each other's lives.

"He's so good." Greg commented.

Frankie silently nodded and continued to watch their son playing the game he loved. Dorian was playing harder than he ever did before, and she had a feeling she knew why. His father was here watching, and Dorian wanted to impress Greg. Frankie smiled at the fact, the kid didn't even have to try, Greg was already so proud of him.

After Dorian's game, Alexander took off with Joey and Quinn to see their father, for he was planning on working at the casino for a little bit. No matter how busy he was, Vinny always had time for his boys and if he couldn't see them at the time their Grandfather was happy to see them. When the three of them left, Frankie and Greg took Dorian back to her house where Greg spent the entire day playing Halo with his son. Frankie had to smile at her two boys, because she knew there was no one else like them. Greg was a kid at heart, and that was one of the things that she had been drawn to. He could be really serious too, one of the reasons she was in love with him. She meant love as in past, not now in this wreck of an emotionally state she was currently in. She hadn't realized that Anthony trying to kill her affected her more than it should. Greg being with Dorian during that day was a blessing because then her baby didn't have to see his mother cry.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

**JauntyChick: **I know! I hate when people make him mean or like a complete sexually driven pervert. I don't feel like his character is really like that at all. He's just a kid at heart. I'm glad you like it so much. :

**Slappywhite: **Yeah, That is going to come up again. I like having him be such a nice guy in this.

**LovingGreg247: **You're welcome. It was kinda sad to write, and i think it comes out of nowhere. Hopefully in a good way

* * *

Sitting in the dim-lit restaurant across from the father of her child, Frankie actually felt relaxed. A clear glass lay in between her fingers and was almost empty of the red liquid. Greg had been quite the gentleman, going so far as even pulling out her chair when they had arrived. It was a quaint little Italian and Greek place just outside of the strip that the two were currently dinning at. Frankie was impressed at Greg's memory of her love for the food of both her nationalities, though she shouldn't have been surprised by this man she could once again call her best friend. She had to thank him for this dinner, because without it, she would have kept everything bottled up inside. She suspected that he had already known that though. 

She smiled at a witty story he was making, and lifted the glass from her hand to her lips. Frankie stopped drinking shortly after Dorian's birth, but there was no harm in a few glasses of wine. She set the glass back down and focused her attention back to Greg. "So you bought hot dogs so you could identify the ends with the half chewed one from the guy's stomach?"

Greg laughed. "Yeah, I thought it was a good idea, but it came out of my pay. I was eating hot dogs for months, even Nanook stopped eating them."

"Whose Nanook?"

Greg realized he had never told her about his housemate. "Oh Nanook's my dog, he's an Alaskan Husky."

Frankie smiled. "Those dogs are so pretty. You would name you dog after the one from The Lost Boys."

Greg chuckled and took a sip of his own wine. "I do believe that was by your influence, sweetheart. You know it's weird seeing you all sophisticated drinking red wine, I'm used to you clutching an aluminum can of cheap beer."

Frankie laughed. "Well that was college. You know Greg, you've really grown up and you're doing real well for yourself."

Greg put down his glass and reached his hand across the table to grasp hers. "You know, so have you, even after being forced into single-motherhood you've still managed to get to a career that suits you. I really wish you would have told me though, but that's in the past and there's nothing I can do about it. I want you to know that I care about both you and Dorian and that I want to be there for the two of you."

Frankie was speechless at the amount of care Greg was willing to give to both her and their son. Her heartbeat had even risen when his hand touched hers. "Greg, I don't want to ask that of you, you really don't—"

He cut her off with a wave of his hand. "No, Frankie, I want to be his Father, and I want him to know that I'm always going to be there for him, to guide him in life."

She noticed that he was holding out on her and she felt like something needed to be said. "Greg, is there something else on your mind?"

Greg stared at her for a moment with his thumb absentmindedly stroking the top of her hand. His hesitance told her everything; however, he reluctantly shook his head. "Nope. So I hear that you dated Henry."

Frankie rolled her eyes. "I was in a relationship with him and before you ask the question on your mind the answer is yes. We were together for a little over a year."

Greg laughed. "Well we weren't."

"Yes, but we were very, very drunk and I thought you were very, very hot."

"Were? Don't you mean, I still am?"

Frankie downed the rest of her wine and laughed. "You're still the same ole Greg, always making someone laugh."

A sheepish grin spread across his still boyish face. "Of course, I heard ladies love a man that makes them laugh."

She shook her head at him. "With him, not at him."

When the bill had come, Greg refused to let her pay but she still argued about it. Greg had always been a gentleman about that sort of thing, especially with Frankie. He just wanted to make her happy, and unlike Nick he would never go Dutch, at least not with Francesca. He had to find a way to tell her his feelings, but he could never go through with it. Their friendship meant too much to him that he would have hated to jeopardize it. He had considered this night a date, even though he knew she didn't. That was why he was trying to do everything right for her, even walking her to the front door. He tried to decline coming inside for coffee, but she insisted.

Greg wasn't sure why she said it, but neither was Frankie. She claimed it was getting late and that she worried about him. It was how he wound up sleeping beside her that night and watching her sleep. He had awakened later to her crying out from some nightmare and immediately shook her awake and held her until her fears had subsided. It was in that moment that he realized why she asked him to stay the night. He was right when he thought she wasn't sleeping, he also knew it was due to the car accident she had been in. She had been afraid for the life of her child, and he noticed she was still plagued with worry due to the way she had been overly protective over Dorian. As soon as Greg had wrapped his arm around her protectively, Frankie slipped into a peaceful sleep and Greg saw that as a sign.

At noon Frankie woke to a child's laughter and the bark of a dog. A dog? The sun pierced through the open blinds and into her eyes as she rolled over in her bed. Crawling out of bed, she noticed a pair of men's jeans on the floor, alerting her that Greg was still at her house. Did he leave and bring his dog back to her house? She shook her head and made her way out of her room and down the stairs where the distinct smell of French toast engulfed her nose. She walked further into her house to the kitchen where she stood in the doorway watching Greg cook breakfast and son play with a young Alaskan husky. He had brought his dog over, who looked like he was just growing into adulthood. Dorian noticed his mom and smiled the identical smile that his father bore. The dog scampered over to the newcomer, and upon sensing that she was not a threat, he wagged his tail and barked.

Greg looked over from cooking and smiled at Frankie's presence. "Nanook, be nice to Frankie. Morning, I'm making breakfast."

She smiled and bent down to pet Nanook. "I can see, and you brought your dog."

Dorian and Nanook had taken off into the den/tv room, for he knew his parents had to talk about something. Frankie crossed the room and hugged him from behind. "Thanks, for last night, you were right, I did need a release."

Greg flipped a piece of French toast over. "It's not problem. Are you all right?"

She nodded. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Dismissing the previous night, Greg merely nodded his head and didn't bring it up again.


	18. Chapter 18

She clutched the carryout paper coffee cup in her hand and walked into the lab, much earlier than was needed. Behind her Greg was rushing to get to his locker so that he could meet Grissom and Warrick out to a bloody scene that they needed his help for. He was so in tune to the most minuscule details that he had seen the vines peaking out from her shoulder blades from underneath her beater tank top when he woke her up to take her to work that afternoon. He was the only person to recognize that her back sleeve tattoo was still alive and well. As it should be since he had helped her decide what to get inked onto her body. It was how he knew her favorite flowers; there was a plethora of them tattooed on her back in a colorful garden of horticulture.

Frankie went to the break room to finish her cup of coffee that she had begged Greg to stop for, before clocking in, when her cell phone rung. She answered, which she learned to be a mistake, especially because the number was a New Jersey area code. "Hello?"

"You've got a lot of nerve accusing your brother…"

She sighed at the one voice she never wanted to hear: her mother's. She chucked the now cold coffee into the trash bin and made her way outside to speak freely to the bitch who had disowned her. Finally when things were good for her, and when her and Greg were cool again, did something go terribly wrong. She hadn't spoken to the woman in over eight years. Frankie couldn't fathom what the woman wanted, besides to persecute her. The last time the two women had spoken, Cassandra had told Frankie that she was a slut and a sinner and that god would punish her for her misdeeds. Anthony had enforced their mother's beliefs, while the ever-quiet Johnny stood back and did nothing, as usual. But Johnny was a completely different story.

"Your brother would never do anything of the such!" The high-pitched voice shrieked in Frankie's ear.

She sighed and thought very carefully about her words, knowing somehow they'd get twisted around. "According to the traffic camera installed into that intersection, I had the right of way and was accelerating my car across the intersection when out of nowhere my car was hit. Now this could have been conclusively an accident, but the film evidence shows Anthony's car, which held his New Jersey license plates, had been parked on the side of the road. He accelerated once my car was in the intersection."

"Well, you were always such a disobedient child! We'll see you in court!"

Frankie held back from saying all the profanities in her mind. "You will, because I'm going to press charges." She snapped shut her phone angrily and held her head in her hands. She rummaged through her purse, finding the old pack of cigarettes and her lighter. In haste, she pulled a white stick from the pack, inserted it between her thin lips and then cupped her hands around the cigarette and lighter in order to lit up. Frankie hadn't smoked when her and Greg were friends in college, because he had convinced her to quit, but then later after her son was born, she stared again, only it was Hodges that convinced her to quit. Right now she was in a state of emotional unrest and a cancer stick was what she needed. Maybe even a case of beer too.

Once she was finished, she stubbed the rest of her cigarette on the bottom of the rubber sole of her converses, which were probably her brothers, as she had to rush to get into work that night because of Greg being asked in early. She discarded the cigarette butt in the ashtray on top of the trashcan, and let a deep sigh escape her body. This was not the best way to start the night, and Frankie just wanted everything with Anthony to have ended already. She walked back inside and into the locker room to grab a headband and she ran into Hodges. He was looking down in avoidance, but at the smell resonating off her clothes, he spoke up.

"Why do you smell like a cigarette?"

She sighed, sitting down on the bench and pushed the headband on. "My mother called." She looked up at him and suppressed a laugh at the sight of his neck. "So I take it Wendy really did want you."

He scratched his neck and changed the subject. "What did your mom say?"

"Bullshit that I don't listen to. I'm pressing charges against Anthony. Well, I'm going to get started with my cases in DNA."

Getting right to her lab, Frankie jumped into her work. She signed off on the evidence that was just now finished with being tested. Nick and Catherine would be happy, they had a DNA match to their suspect on the murder of the young girl in her home at a supposedly breaking and entering. Blood swabs matched the suspect as well as semen found in the girl's body. The crooked neighbor was in the system, for another rape charge when he was 19, he did his time and now he'd do more. She paged the two investigators and they were both pleased to see good results.

"You're a miracle worker." Nick exclaimed.

Frankie laughed. "I'm just doing my job. Hey, do you know if Greg and Warrick closed their DB in the garage case?"

Catharine nodded. "They got prints off the hammer, the girl's ex confessed when they brought him in."

"Oh, Greg just never mentioned if they had closed it." She replied. At the smirk that crossed Catharine's face, Frankie sighed. "Cath, we have a kid together, Greg and I see a lot of each other."

Speaking of the devil, he showed up with a plethora of evidence in his hands, with a lot of blood. "Looks like I've hit the jackpot."

Greg smiled at her. "Good Luck."

Frankie smirked. "If you come back here in a couple of hours, I will destroy you."

Greg walked out of her lab and laughed, running down the hall to catch up with Grissom and Warrick to comb over the body. Despite his jokes with Frankie, all was not well and it had a lot to do with this new case. The tattoo on the female's back looked similar to one of the lotus flowers he had handpicked out for Frankie to get tattooed on the small of her back. He knew it was a coincident, but he couldn't help but be spooked. There was also the fact that the vic and the lab's DNA tech had the same hairstyle, but only different colors. Greg shook himself out of his trance state and got to work. Things would be better once they caught this guy.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**Author note: i really can't wait until I'm done with AP literature. I'm on break for a week, so hopefully more updates shall be coming.**

**LovinGreg247: Oh yeah, they're definitely talk in a few chapter preceding this one. You get to meet another new character too! hah. Hopefully i don't drag out their hidden feelings for each too much. I'm fond of suspense**

**JauntyChick: Her mother totally is, I loathe her and Anthony so much. hah, yes i noticed the spoon too. ahah, I'd probably do that too. Oh they will, I wouldn't kill you!**

**Slappywhite: Hah, same! I'm not a smoker at all, but that would be my reaction, especially to such an hypocritical character as Frankie's mother Cassandra. **

* * *

As if getting a phone call from her past wasn't enough, weeks after Frankie filed charges against Anthony in which hopefully the court would convict him, another surprise landed in her lap. Greg was off that night, so he took her son to see a real hockey game and Frankie had busied herself with housework. It was a Sunday and seeing as Greg usually had his weekends off, they planned to spend the weekend together. Hopefully he wouldn't be called in, which was a frequent occurrence in his line of work. If need be, sometimes the same was for her. What had surprised her in the first place was the visitor she had at the door, and when she opened it she was even more surprised to find the familiar face of her second eldest brother.

"Johnny? What are you doing in Vegas?" Frankie asked.

The man who was four years the woman's senior cracked a sad smile. He wore his hair cropped short for professional reasons and the finest clothes to indicate his business matter. Johnny was one of the things that those she worked with utterly despised. Johnny Bentivegna was a lawyer. 

He cleared his throat, and she fumbled at forgetting her matters by letting him in the house, only to have Greg's dog Nanook rush over to the stranger and bark. She pulled at Nanook's collar, "Down Boy." Nanook sniffed her brother and sensing that Frankie wasn't in harms way, he calmed down and left the two of them alone. Since Frankie was still waiting for her car to be fixed, Greg had been spending more time over and that meant he brought Nanook, because Dorian really seemed to like the dog. She had a feeling he liked leaving Nanook there with her to protect her, especially since that was why Greg had gotten Nanook.

Frankie walked Johnny through the front room; they walked past the living room and Den to enter the dinning room that sat in the back end of her house with a good view of the back porch. Frankie loved the setup of her house and she was happy with her staircase to the basement in the kitchen and the staircase to upstairs in the living room. It was the right structure for her and she felt safe with the two standard bedrooms in addition to her master bedroom with its own bath located upstairs. Everyone was happy with it. Johnny had never seen his sister's house; in fact he hadn't seen her in less than a decade.

"Do you want anything to drink? Coffee? Water? Beer?" She asked him.

Johnny shook his head and gestured for her to sit beside him. "I really just want to apologize for Anthony and Mom's behavior towards you and your son. I know I haven't met him, but I am sure that he's a good kid, you wouldn't raise a kid any other way." 

Frankie was a little surprised by his revelation, but responded only regarding their mother. "That horrid woman is not my mother." 

"Francesca, she did give birth to you, I'm just sorry you suffered her wrath. Listen, I know about the court case coming up and that you filed charges."

She scoffed. "City hall actually thought I was going to drop the charges because he's my brother, but that's not going to happen. I don't care who he is, he tried to kill me and Dorian and I'm not about to let that go."

"Is that his name? I knew you always loved Wilde."

A smile spread across her face, and she beamed with pride as she spoke about her son. "Yeah, it suits him and he's such a good kid, you weren't mistaken to think that. He plays hockey and he loves science so much to the point that he got moved up a grade."

"That's great—"

The front door opening and Nanook's barking cut off their conversation. Frankie excused herself and went to the front hall where she found Greg and Dorian just getting in. She smiled at both of them and the fact that Nanook immediately stayed by Greg's side. Dorian noticed his mother first and smiled. He began to relay all the events of the day to her, in-between several yawns that made Greg chuckle.

"Come on kiddo, I think you need to get some sleep."

Frankie walked back into the dinning room where Johnny was still sitting. "What was all that?" The older man asked.

"Do you remember—"

"Frankie." Greg's voice bounced off the walls of the dining room. The two Bentivegna siblings looked up to see the person in the doorway. Frankie couldn't fathom the tense emotions lingering through the air, as the two men recognized one another. Despite threatening Greg's life like her other brothers', Johnny thoroughly believed Greg had been good for her. He was just surprised to see him at her home. In that moment as the younger man crossed the room, it clicked in Johnny's head. There was a reason she refused to tell them who was the father of her child. To think Johnny hadn't even met his nephew yet either.

Johnny stood up and held his hand out to Greg, who shook it. Greg remembered him as the brother that liked him. "It's good to see you again Johnny. Frankie, do you mind if Nanook and I crash here again?"

"Why do you even ask? Greg, I don't see why you just don't move in, you're here all the time any way."

Greg was a little taken back by her suggestion. The gears in his head were already starting to grind, trying to think of the ulterior motive she had for asking him to move in. "I'll think about it, but talk to Alexander first. He does live here too."

Greg retreated to her bedroom to sleep, knowing that she wouldn't. Frankie turned to her brother Johnny. "Does daddy know you're here?"

He nodded. "I'm staying in the Pent house. So Greg Sanders?"

"Is Dorian's father. You'll have to meet him later, he needs to sleep before going to school, I have some cleaning to do and then I'll take him to school, wake up Greg and go to work."

"When will you sleep?"

She sighed. "To be honest, I haven't been sleeping since the accident."

"So are you two together?"

Frankie shrugged. "Greg's a good guy and…I love him but I don't know if he wants a relationship with me. First off we need to focus on being parents."

Johnny smiled at his sister. "He'll come around."


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**woah twenty already, and I still have a lot I want these characters to go through!**

**Jauntychick: I always love reading your reviews. You see have to wait, but I think it should be worth it. And Johnny is nice. It's just Anthony and her mother who suck. I'm glad you like it so much! It's my favorite to write of everything I've written on here.**

**Slappywhite: Yeah sorry about the long wait, my schoolwork has been massive and time consuming. That's why I'm putting another one out today. Hopefully you're like this one too!**

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Frankie sat in the break room sipping at her fifth cup of coffee and going over legal papers. Johnny said she needed to know her rights and the loopholes of the law if they were going to court with their older brother. Her father, two brothers, Greg and even Hodges were all very supportive of her decision to do this, especially Greg. She thought that had to be due to the feral side that lay buried within Greg, for he didn't want someone harming his territory or his offspring. It wasn't as if she was his property or anything like that, they were just best friends, who happened to share a bed and he was quite overprotective of her. Alexander hadn't been happy about their sleeping arrangements when Greg finally moved in, but the only way Frankie could sleep was by the reassurance that Greg was protecting her. She knew they were denying their emotional attachment, but she could live with that.

She ignored the sound of footsteps or the person who took a seat beside her. A lone chunk of hair had gone astray from the bobby pin holding her recherché hairstyle out of her face. A gentle and too familiar hand pushed the hair off the side of her face, and he leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to the side of her neck. She could feel the heat rising up to her face and was glad that her face was buried into the legal documents. She wanted to kill Greg for doing that, even though she knew it was only as a friendly gesture. The man had no idea what just him looking at her did to her emotions. Frankie wondered how long she could go before throwing herself at him and exclaiming her undying love for the father of her child. Stifling a sigh from her inner dramatics, Frankie took another sip of her coffee, and then turned to face the man who was desperate for her attention. She took a glance at his watch to realize her break was up. She noticed he had come in search of her fully equipped with swabs for her to process. Immediately she shut the manila folder, closing the documents that she was yet to go through all the way. Greg followed her back to the DNA lab to drop off the evidence he had. He lingered longer, watching her finish up her last test before leaving to find Warrick with a new body in the morgue. 

Frankie's problems were escalating, but it wasn't something she would let effect her work. Greg saw what this court fiasco was doing to her, and she really just wanted it to be over with. The phone calls from her mother didn't help to soothe her nerves either. She was letting work take over, diving into it, so that she could forget the crimes committed against her. Sighing, Frankie started to process the swabs Greg had brought to her. After all that's what they paid her for, and she took her job very serious. 

Greg stared down at the body, this one was a blonde, but it still followed the pattern with the redhead they had found before. The body before him had short hair like the last one, but she had an iris flower tattooed on her right shoulder blade. Greg photo-documented the body while Warrick and Grissom collected any trace evidence. Both older men had recognized how bloody this one was, the throat was slit in a heated angry mark and they all suspected she had been beaten but had nothing to go on until Doc Robbins went over her body. Grissom noticed Greg's distractions as the younger man stared down at the body. Grissom knew something was grinding the gears in Greg's brain, and he knew it didn't bode well. Grissom knew it had something to do with this case and the case they had found a few weeks ago. The fact that the two were so similar warned him.

Greg examined a piece of the victim's hair; he noted his observations and then photographed it. "What if he cuts their hair? Look at the crisp cut of her hair. If this had been random we would have noticed a growth in her hair."

"Let's not link the two cases, because the first vic had split ends." Grissom reminded.

Warrick looked closer at the iris on her shoulder blade and pulled a swab out. He asked Greg to snap a shot of it, before he swabbed the patch on her skin revealing that the tattoo was a fake. It would be sent to Hodges in trace who would determine what it was. Greg had that funny feeling in the pit of his stomach and it took everything for him to not rush to the DNA lab to check on Frankie. They collected semen from the body, just like the last girl, and Doc Robbins would tell them if there were any signs of sexual trauma. Super Dave, as Nick called him, had come in to begin cleaning the body, since the investigators had everything they needed. Grissom took the DNA/trace evidence upstairs to the labs while the other two men went to the layout room upstairs to overlook the case.

"Why would the tattoo be faked?" Warrick asked.

"A warning sign for someone else, I suppose." Greg answered.

Warrick eyes the younger man suspiciously. Greg had been acting weird since this case started. "Greg, is this about Francesca?"

"They look like her."

Warrick furrowed his brows at the statement. Sometimes he worried about Greg's mind state. Albeit the man had matured and was a good investigator, Warrick still felt weary about him. "Look Greg, the two cases aren't even linked as of yet, so let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm sure that nothing will happen to Frankie. Hey, don't you two have a court date?"

Greg nodded solemnly, his nose currently buried in his notes.

Warrick stared at Greg for but a moment before continuing, "You're probably just worried about that. So what do we know about this one?"


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

**Author note: I only own the Bentivegnas. **

**LovinGreg247: Hey don't worry about not reviewing, it's nice to know i have a few readers at least. I know how it is when you get busy with other stuff. I'm getting there with Frankie and Greg, i just make them difficult**

**SlappyWhite:That was my intention! hmm,i wonder what exactly those tattoos mean...hahah. I hope you like this one too, it's necessary for the story, i think at least**

**Jauntychick:I updated! I think you may be right. :**

* * *

The incessant repetitive beeping sound omitted throughout the bedroom, where the sleep deprived Frankie lay. She sat up slowly, her hand hitting the snooze button and then she looked over to her left where Greg lay. Sine her accident her sleep had been filled with dreams of the car crash where she could not save her son, and that's what scared her the most. Frankie had opted for no sleep rather than these nightmares, which Greg had noticed, so when she did sleep, she'd wake up crying. That's why they always slept in her bed together, because she needed his comfort, even if she wouldn't come out and say it. He understood though and wanted nothing more but to have an excuse to hold the woman he loved without her questioning it. She slid out of bed, and stealthily headed to her bathroom to shower. Frankie needed a little time to herself before all hell broke loose.

She opted to blow dry her hair, and pulled the longer pieces together into a small ponytail. She pinned the stray chunks of her hair with criss-crossing bobby pins, to keep her appearance looking clean-cut and professional. The pencil black skirt didn't fit right on her today neither did the green long sleeved blouse that had always been her favorite. Frankie already knew the day was not going to be any better. She had to laugh, when she opened the door of the bathroom and watched Greg struggle with his tie. She glided over to him, and gently took the silk in her hand. Tying the ties for her brothers every Easter morning since she was a little girl had come in handy. Greg sighed in relief that Frankie could tie his tie for him. No matter how many times he had been to court, his nimble hands always grappled with the serpent fabric. She smoothed out the stray wrinkles in his blue oxford, and then went in search of a green headband to match her shirt.

Greg left her bedroom to go wake up his son, but the boy was not in his bed. A sharp happy bark from downstairs told him that both Dorian and Nanook were already awake and downstairs. Greg walked into the kitchen and started the coffee pot, while Dorian ate his breakfast consisting of a bowl of cereal. Frankie hadn't been too far behind him, for when he looked up in the doorway, she entered the kitchen. Frankie greeted her son with a kiss to the cheek and pet the obedient Nanook. Greg poured two cups of coffee by the kitchen counter and handed one of them to her. In her head, she couldn't help but laugh at the interaction. In a twisted way they were a family, which biologically was true, but not in the traditional view of the American family.

Twenty minutes later the trio sat in the courtroom at the trial. Frankie sat behind the plaintiff's desk, while Greg and Dorian sat in the row behind her. Currently Johnny was standing before the court addressing his older brother on the accusations of attempted murder. "Besides your personal morality issues, what gives you, a man of finance, the right to impose justice on a single-mother barely striving to get by?"

"That's why. She disobeyed god's law and if God wasn't punishing her, I took it into my own hands. Francesca is not an innocent girl, she doesn't play by the books, she's a smoker and a drunk, both of which connotes a sinner."

"Mr. Bentivegna you are not God and you cannot enforce his justice on others simply because you believe it to be right. Did you deliberately accelerate your car, because you knew it belonged to Miss. Francesca Bentivegna?"

Anthony remained silent.

Johnny glanced to his younger sister and then over to his rival lawyer. Neither attorney's said anything, but the judge ruling spoke up. "Mr. Bentivegna, answer the question."

"Yes."

A dark shadow cast across Johnny's face, he was in total disgust that the man before him was his own brother. "I have no further questions."

Anthony stepped down from the stand and Anthony's attorney stood up. "May I call to the stand victim in question, Dorian Bentivegna-Sanders?"

"Objection!"

"Over-ruled. Dorian, can you please come sit up here?"

Frankie was freaking out, as she hadn't realized that her son would be questioned as well. Despite Johnny's efforts to stop that from happening, it was. Dorian was escorted by the bailiff to the stand, read his rights and asked to swear his oath. Unlike any other eight-year-old, Dorian completely understood and complied with anything that was asked of him. Anthony's attorney stood in front of the judge's desk and began his attacks on the young boy. His intent was to confuse, but Dorian had inherited from both his parents a quick-witted sense to understand when someone was trying to fool them. Frankie knew he'd be a great investigator just like his father.

"Now, Dorian how was your mother's state that day?"

"Normal. Mom's not an alcoholic or a drug addict or unstable, if that's what you're saying. We were going home and out of nowhere another car hit us."

The attorney sighed. "I have no further questions."

He knew there was no way they would win this, so he didn't even bother questioning Frankie. This was an open and shut case. After Dorian was questioned, there was a short court recess. Immediately following the recess, the jury had come to a decision and everyone was brought back into the courtroom. A representative of the jury handed the judge a slip of paper, and he announced, "We, the jury vote in favor of Francesca Bentivegna and find the defendant, Anthony Bentivegna guilty of attempted murder, traffic violations and intent to harm a child."

Belief and satisfaction was felt throughout the party, that Frankie suggested they all go out for lunch to celebrate the good news. The boys agreed with her, especially her eager son, who hadn't eaten since his small bowl of cereal earlier. The same went for his father, the two of them alone could eat her out of her house, but together with the addition of her brother Alexander it was worse. She cooked full meals and still had to go grocery shopping at least twice a week. It did wonders for her paycheck, but she had been lucky enough to have her father pay for the house as a gift to his two youngest kids, and he refused to take any of her money as payback. It was good for her, because she still was paying off all her college loans.

Frankie let Greg drive her car to the diner he frequented the most with some of their coworkers. He had told them they would get the best service, because Rita had become somewhat of a good friend over the years. Johnny followed in his car and when they were seated, he was pleased that Greg had been right. Rita was a really good server and they had been surprised there was no wait at the lunch rush. Johnny was impressed by his nephew and was proud of his sister on doing such a good job raising him. He noticed the way Greg fawned on her and he really wished she would see it.

When Frankie went to the bathroom, Johnny confronted him about it. "Greg?"

"Yes?"

"Are you in love with my sister?"

"Yes."

"Then tell her, she needs to know."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

**Authornote:I only own the Bentivegnas**

**Jauntychick: I had a feeling that would be your reaction. haha. never fear I got this one done really quick.**

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Kicking off her heels in the kitchen, Frankie opened the normally closed wooden cabinets on the back wall of the kitchen, revealing the washer and dryer. She began to separate the whites and start a load while she still had time before work. Since the court date had tired out Dorian, he wasn't going to attend the second half of his school day. Greg had told him to get some sleep before he would take him over to hockey practice. Johnny had departed after lunch, explaining that he was having a meeting with a local firm in hopes that he could be transferred to Vegas. This has come as a shock or Frankie, but in fact it was the real reason for his visit. She had been peeved that her father failed to mention this, but figured he chose to for her own good.

Greg had lost his suit and was walking around in an old iron maiden shirt that was probably Frankie's and some loose jeans. He had found Frankie still in her court clothes and starting a wash. Greg shook his head, if that woman didn't fuse out, he wouldn't know what to think anymore. Abruptly, he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and pulled her away from the machine. "Come on Frankie, come lay down with me before work. You need to get some sleep. I assume you want me to start sleeping in the guest room soon?"

"Why would I want that?"

"Because you won't have nightmare anymore."

Frankie opened her mouth to speak, and then shook her head. She headed up the stairs with a confused Greg following her. He found her again sitting on her bed, their bed, with a solemn look on her face. "I like having you next to me every night Greg."

"I like being there."

She furrowed her brow, aptly confused on their current relationship. "What are you saying?"

Greg bent down next to her and cupped her face in his hands. He hastily kissed her with all his emotions released into that one kiss. "I'm saying that I'm in love with you."

She stared at him for a long time. "You what?"

Greg stood up and crossed the room to look out the window. "Just…never mind."

Frankie stared at his back longingly. "Just tell me again."

He turned back to look at her straight in the eye. She was lying on her side of the bed, rubbing her temples in her confused and tired state. She patted the side of the bed that he usually occupied, and he obeyed her request. Lying on his side, he stared at her. "I love you."

"Really?"

Greg kissed her neck and then laughed. "Yes, since I met you."

She smiled more brightly than he thought he ever saw her smile. "Good, because I wasn't sure how long it would be until I broke down and just told you. Seeing you again brought it all back and living with Dorian made it worse because everyday I saw the man I ran from, which was the biggest mistake of my life. Then when you were here you were so sweet and you immediately went into father mode with Dorian, and he adores you. The nightmares go away when you're here and I really just missed you."

He smirked at her. "Has anyone told you, that you talk to much?"

Before he let her answer, he dipped his head to hers, leaving a gentle kiss against her lips. "Are you going to rest now?"

She shrugged and snuggled up into his side. Greg's face shined as he wrapped his arm around her petite body. She had closed her eyes, just dwelling in this newfound feeling, when a sudden thought came to her. "Greg! Have you told your mother?"

He cringed. He knew her silence was too good to be true. He honestly loved Frankie to death, but like every woman she had her little annoyances. That was why he had been in love with her when they first met; Frankie took care of him, even if she was angry with him. He sighed, "Uh, yeah, about that…"

"Gregory! Call her! She needs to know about her grandson."

Greg made no effort to move, so Frankie leaned over him to grab his phone, and quickly found his parent's number in his contact lists. Greg wrestled with her to shut the phone off, but knowing he wasn't going to win, he just gave up. When he heard his mother's voice, he hit the speaker button on his phone. "Hey mom."

"Gregory, please tell me you're not in the hospital."

Greg laughed. "No. Do you remember Frankie from College?"

"Yes. Greg, what happened to her? Did you get her pregnant?"

Frankie laughed at the irony. "Well yes, eight years ago and now we're living together. Frankie's a DNA analyst for the crime lab."

"Hi Else." Frankie said out loud.

"Francesca, why didn't you tell us?"

"I was 22 and scared. I figured you'd want to know about your grandson, since you son neglected to inform you of his parentage."

"Well you know Gregory."

"Mmmhmm. That I do. You and John should come visit when you get the chance, I'm sure my father would love to let you stay in his hotel."

"That would be wonderful. What's his name? Your son's?"

"Oh, Dorian." Greg answered proudly.

Else beamed in San Gabriel at her only son being proud of his own offspring. "Well, I'm going to let you two go, I know Greg has to sleep before work. It was good talking to you again Frankie and we'll call when we're going to visit."

"Okay bye mom."

Greg hung up his phone and glared at Frankie. He got an evil grin on his face and attacked her sides, forcing her to emit a plethora of giggles. She squirmed around to avoid his attacks, but made no prevail, for he finally pinned down her arms and hovered above her. Frankie's giggles ceased once she stared into Greg's chocolate eyes and she melted when he dipped his head down and kissed her lips. He pulled back from her with a smirk. "I knew I'd get you back. You have no idea how good it is to be able to kiss you without fearing your wrath."

Beneath him she smirked and pulled him back down for another kiss. "No, Greg, I understand completely. I need you here, for not only my sake but our child's."

Greg smiled at her, and rolled onto his back against the bed, pulling her into his arms. Frankie sighed in content onto his neck and kissed his skin softly. Greg stroked her hair and pulled the comforter over the two of them. Her quiet, gentle, breathing told him that she had fallen asleep, and the smiled stayed painted across his face. Greg was glad that things were finally in the open and that the woman he loved was now safe from harm.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23:**

**Authornote: Don't own shit**

**LovinGreg247: I'm glad you think it's cute : Oh that will come up a little later.**

**Jauntychick" YAY! I'm glad you think i write the best Fluff ever, thanks so much! :**

**Slappywhite: There may be more trouble ahead, but ya never know.**

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Sitting in her chair staring at the printer waiting for results, Frankie Bentivegna sighed. High profile cases made her nervous, especially if her boyfriend was out in the field collecting evidence on a potentially dangerous suspect. She was glad they had their feelings out in the open, but she also knew that their relationship could possibly become complicated if she never returned to swing shift. She didn't want to have any trouble with Ecklie, but with the two if them who knew his opinion. Greg had been working non-stop and it had been unsettling, because both his son and his dog missed him. The night before she had left for work waking up with Dorian beside her and Nanook at her feet. She missed being able to see Greg off the clock too.

Grabbing the sheet seconds after it had printed, she handed it to Warrick without a sound and then proceeded into doing another blood test. She was too busy to notice another set of footsteps enter. Warrick had been thrown by the clicking of heels that entered, but he noticed that the busy woman behind the microscope had zoned on her work, and had not recognized the new sound. The clearing of the throat from the new comer had alerted Frankie that someone else was in her lab, and it wasn't Catharine.

The brunette at the doorway across the room smiled at Frankie's busy state of mind. "What are you doing in my lab?"

Frankie took a moment to move from the microscope to document her findings. She raised an eyebrow, but was still paying attention to the evidence in front of her. "Apparently, I'm doing your job. Is your mom okay?"

Wendy Simms smirked at how maternal Frankie could be without realizing it. Hodges had told her that when they met she was caring of anybody she came across and highly domesticated, even if she didn't see it. "My mom's fine, but she gave us a scare. It looks like you need some help."

Frankie breathed out a sigh. "I can manage, but if you want to…"

Wendy quickly donned a pair of gloves and took the bottom half of the pile of cases to work on. While Frankie started on one case, Wendy started on a completely different one. Both women were silent and efficient in their work, dutifully getting done as much as they could in the limited amount of time that the investigators demanded of them. Frankie wondered if she could go back to swing shift now that Wendy was back. At the moment; however, she was concerned with finding a match in CODIS to a particular sample of semen. She let out a sigh when she realized it was going to take some time. Frankie had wanted to start up a new test, when Wendy stopped her.

"I think you should take a break."

Before Frankie could speak someone stepping into the DNA lab alerted both women. Wendy smiled at a worn looking Greg Sanders while he dropped off some more evidence. Frankie, although still upset, from barely seeing him, was happy to see Greg enter the lab. "Did you have a break yet? I've hit a dead end and I really want to talk."

Frankie nodded in response, shed her lab coat and hung it on the hook in the room. She threw her gloves away, and felt Greg's hand slip into her own as the two of them walked to the break room. The exchange didn't go unnoticed by Wendy, but all she did was smile, later she'd grill the couple about it. Frankie and Greg had reached the break room, and Frankie told him to sit down while she got him a cup of coffee and his lunch. When she sat down beside him, Greg smiled at her gratefully. She took good care of him, and he didn't know what he did to deserve such a caring woman. Frankie watched Greg with a close eye, and wondered what was on his mind.

"Greg, what's the matter?" She asked.

He sighed. "Just this cold case, I can't get anything and I think this new DB is another new victim. He's very precise, cuts their hairs post mortem and this new one she had a tattoo post-mortem. It's the only thing I've got. And my god, I miss you. I hate not seeing Dorian or you or even Nanook. You're not mad at me are you?"

Frankie lifted a hand to stroke his hair and shook her head. "We both understand your job is demanding. It's okay sweetie."

"No, it's not, I hate not being there for you. How about I take you out on Saturday night, or we can just have a night in, whatever you want." Greg offered.

She had to smile at Greg's romanticism. He was a good man, although she always knew that, even when she discovered she was pregnant many years ago, she knew that. Much like herself, Greg had an extreme caring nature to him. She couldn't remember how many times he bailed her out of bad dates or parties when they were in Stanford. She had known he was an amazing guy when he stayed up all night with her while she puked her guts up from drinking too much. In fact her college days was why she gave up drinking, for she had gotten too old for partying all night.

Frankie kissed his temple. "You don't have to Greg."

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "But I want to Francesca. I love you and I care about you. I know you're not happy about me not being home a lot lately, so I wanna make it up to you."

"Okay. I think I've got some DNA calling my name. Don't let this case get to you, you'll find this guy."

Greg watched her depart and even though he knew she was right, his gut feeling told him otherwise. Greg stood and went back to the layout room where Warrick was looking over the evidence photos. The Older man looked up at Greg's entry, and handed him a document about the latest vic. Brooke Manchester, 30, married to a Jason Manchester with two kids, a schoolteacher. Greg knew something was off about this one.

"It's weird that he left her ID on her. Maybe he wants us to know who she is. Brass is notifying the husband. They live in San Fran, not in Vegas, so this case is starting to get weirder." Warrick commented.

Greg's eyes widened as he realized why the victim seemed off. "Jason was my roommate in college."


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

**Note: i think this one sucks.**

**To all: hope you guys still are sticking with me.**

* * *

Before the end of the night, Grissom had asked to see Frankie and she was surprised to see Ecklie in his office as well. Frankie sat as requested and waited for either of the men to start telling her what this was all about. Seeing that Grissom wasn't starting, Ecklie took it upon himself to announce to the woman, "Frankie since Wendy is back, we're switching you back into swing shift. I assume this will not be a problem."

"Not at all sir."

Ecklie was looking over her file and by Grissom's facial expression depicting uneasiness; Frankie knew something was not right. "What is your current relationship to Greg Sanders?"

"He's the father of my child and we're dating. I assure you our relationship will not be a problem and we work different shifts." Frankie told him.

"Let's hope not."

"Francesca, Wendy can handle the rest of the evidence tonight, just sign everything over to her and you can go home. Take Dorian to school and get some rest." Grissom suggested.

Frankie nodded. "Thank you sir."

She ducked out of Grissom's office and headed to the locker room. She took her hair out and raked a hand through it. She observed that the shorter ends of her hair were starting to get longer again. Frankie was debating if to cut it again like she usually did or to cut the longer pieces and make it even. She'd ask Greg what he thought. Frankie quickly made her way out of the lab and into her car to be on her way home. She was glad that she was going to be back on swing, most importantly because she didn't want Ecklie on her back about her relationship with Greg. Once she got home, she made her kid breakfast and the smell of bacon woke the young boy, just like she knew it would. Frankie knew that Dorian was predictable, just as his father was. She wondered how she did it for so long without having Greg there alongside her.

Frankie had the boy dressed and in the car in no time. She quizzed him on the up-keep of his schoolwork, and like the good kid he was, he was doing fine. Frankie couldn't help but have an extreme sense of pride in regards to her son. He was a good kid, and for now at least they got along. Her biggest fear was that when he'd hit puberty their relationship would become tainted. That was still a few good years away, but she always had it in the back of her mind. Once at his school, Frankie kissed her son goodbye and watched him enter school. She was too tired to do much more, so she drove right home only to dive into bed once she got there.

After she had been asleep for a little while, she was stirred awake by weight dipping the mattress down on the other side of the bed. She knew it wasn't from Nanook for he lay at the foot of the bed. She turned on her side, her eyes fluttering open and meeting those of her boyfriend. A smile spread across her face at the sight of him, despite how disheveled he appeared. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips and pulled her into his arms. "Don't give me that worried look, just go back to sleep." It pleased Greg that he could make her sleep soundly, even if his own sleep was disturbed by the conflicting images of the case he was currently working on.

When Frankie slipped out of bed a few hours later, she was glad to see Greg getting some rest. She knew this case had been bothering him and she really just wanted to make things all right for him. She dressed quickly and was down in the kitchen for a cup of coffee in no time. Alexander was washing his hands at the kitchen sink and she watched the colors swirls off his hands mixing together into liquid to the base of the porcelain sink. Alexander smiled at his little sister, she was happier now than he ever remembered and he knew Greg had something to do with it.

"Johnny called, he's moving to Vegas." Alexander told her.

She nodded. "That's good for him." She glanced at the clock, "I'm going to go get Dorian and take him to practice. I'll be home after Greg's left for his shift."


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25:**

**Don't own recognizable characters.**

**JauntyChick:I'm glad you liked it. Oh it would be good to see another chapter of yours...hinthint. haha. nah you take you're time updating**

* * *

Greg Sanders was frustrated, this case was just getting better and better. Brass hadn't tracked down Jason Manchester yet, and he wasn't allowed anywhere near Jason since they once knew each other. Jason had done his time and Greg owed him to find out who did this to his wife. Grissom allowed Greg on the case, but he knew something struck the young investigator about the case. It was why Grissom called him into his office. Grissom was still the ever-oblivious man who was married to his job, but since Sara Sidle's departure he was making attempts to pay more attention to the emotional stability of his co-workers. He'll admit though he wouldn't have asked to speak to Greg had not both Warrick and Hodges noticed that something was off about the young man.

Greg was at the doorway of Grissom's office shortly after Warrick had told him the boss wanted to see him. Greg hoped he hadn't done anything wrong. "You wanted to see me?"

Grissom nodded. "Greg, come on in, take a seat."

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Greg, are you positive you're alright to handle this case?"

"Of course."

"Then what is bothering you?"

Greg sighed. "It's Frankie, I'm worried about her."

"Oh?"

"Grissom, they all have the same haircut as her, she used to dye her hair in college a lot, and Frankie has a back tattoo complete with a collage of several different flowers. The ones found on the victims are identical to some of hers."

"Then what do you think he's trying to do?"

Greg shrugged. "No idea. But the newest victim Brooke Manchester, she was Frankie's roommate and that's how we met."

Grissom looked at the man across from him, obviously torn up with worry for his girlfriend. "Greg, are you sure you can work this case?"

"I have to, Grissom."

The older man nodded, understanding Greg's dilemma in wanting to protect the woman he loved. Greg's phone rang and he excused himself to answer. The acerbic voice on the other line was not exactly what he expected. "When the fuck were you going to tell me that Jason put a man in the hospital for you?"

"Frankie…"

"No Greg, I want the truth what the fuck happened?"

"Listen, we'll talk about this later, but can you bring Jason down to the station?"

"Why?"

"Because his wife is dead."

The other end of the phone was silent and Greg knew Frankie was in shock. He had no idea how Jason had found her or even told her about what almost happened years ago. Greg had no idea how he was supposed to tell her that at a party she was too drunk to realize her frat boy flavor of the week was attempting to take advantage of her. Greg and Jason both saw the look in the man's eyes, but Jason stopped Greg from the action he had wanted to take. Jason told him to get Frankie home and to stay there. Jason put that guy in the hospital, as punishment for trying to take advantage of Frankie. Jason knew Greg had a bright future ahead of him and didn't need any trouble with the law, so he took it upon himself to do what was best. It had landed him into a bad situation and now years later Greg was still trying to make amends.

"Sweetheart, are you still there?" Greg asked.

"Why? Greg, please find out who this guy is. We'll be there to see Brass as soon as I can get there."

Greg hung up and looked over at his boss. "I think this case is getting personal. The newest vic's husband was my roommate in college. He did time for putting a man in the hospital, and now he's showed up at Frankie's house.

"Do you think the man Mr. Manchester battered is this guy?" Grissom asked.

Greg shrugged, as the thought was beginning to cross his mind, "I barely knew him, but the sinister look in his eyes when he looked at Frankie was not normal. I'm going to check back on all evidence from all cases, and get them cross-examined to see if we can get any matches."


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26:**

**Don't own.**

**Sorry for the wait, I'm having some life issues.**

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When Saturday rolled around, Greg was in desperate need of a break. Spending the day with his son was the perfect way to forget all that was currently plaguing his mind. It just so happened that Dorian wanted help to do his science fair project, and ever the geek, Greg was anxious to help out. Frankie in the meantime took the opportunity to do some house keeping, even though Dorian wanted to enlist both his parents' expertise. Building a functional volcano was a father-son thing, forcing Frankie to step back and get the two of them out of her hair so she could get done all the laundry that was continuing to pile up. While in the midst of cleaning her kitchen, Hodges happened to call and ask about advice on women. After coaching him on not to boost and to complement the woman in question, Frankie hung up and sighed. She had realized long ago that her work was never done, but lately her succubus life had drained her being.

When Greg had found her, she had exhausted herself onto the living room couch. His keys in hand, Greg led his son out their front door, being careful not to wake Frankie by remaining silent. The two boys had gotten a lot of work done on Dorian's volcano. In fact the two had experimented with the correct chemicals, and Greg being the intelligent scientist that he was, had figure a way to arrive at the result with a spectacular eruption. They had even built two smaller sized lava mountains on each side of the monster they had built. Dorian had been impressed by what his father could do, furthermore increasing his love for science and Greg's pride in regards to his son.

Dorian had gotten a request by his cousins to spend Saturday night with them and Greg had obliged to taking his son to Vinny and Lucy Bentivegna's home. The two had been very welcoming of Greg, mainly because they saw how happy Frankie was. When Greg returned home, he found Frankie in the bathroom clawing her way through her closet and her drawers. Greg laughed at her, he hadn't given her a clue on what they were doing or even his intentions for the evening. She was frustrated, and as much as he sounded like a jerk, it was kind of funny. Noticing his presence, she turned around and cast a glare in his direction. Despite the amusement in the situation, Greg knew when he crossed the line, and he wasn't about to get her angry for no reason.

"Where the hell are we going?" She asked.

Greg Smirked. "That depends on your answer."

Exasperated at his ambiguity, she sighed, making a noise similar to a growl. "To what question?"

Greg moved over to his drawer on the top of the dresser that was once only occupied by her possessions. He pulled out an ever-familiar small box and then opened it for Frankie to see. "Look I know this is really soon, but I love you and everyday I see people lose those they love, and I don't want to lose you."

Frankie stood staring at him blankly. "Greg, that's your grandmother's ring. Are you, are you asking to marry me?"

Greg turned away from her. "Look never mind, I don't want you to think things are only right if we get married, so just forget it."

Frankie grabbed his face and looked him in the eyes. "I wasn't saying no."

A smile spread across his face. "Are you sure this isn't too soon?"

She shook her head. "I think we should have done it years ago."

Greg kissed her with a smile still plastered across his face. "Then let's go."

Frankie was confused at his words. "Go where?"

"To the chapel, our parents are going to witness it." He explained.

She smirked at him. "How did you know I was going to say yes?"

"I listened to my heart."

Greg woke to the vision of fuchsias, oranges, whites, pinks and violets collaged together and intertwined by greens. His eyes began to focus, learning that he was starting at Frankie's bare back and that her tattoos did in fact match those of the women that had been killed. She stirred beside him and her eyes fluttered open. She looked down at her hand, and the way her eyes moved told him that she was replaying the night before. They had gotten married with Greg's parents in town to witness along with her father. When they had come home, seeing that their son was staying over his cousins' house, they decided to consummate their marriage. Frankie smiled at him, and kissed him softly.

"So we're really married now?"

Greg just smiled back.


	27. Chapter 27

Greg sauntered into work determined to solve his serial case

Greg sauntered into work determined to solve his serial case. Going through all the women was going to take awhile, but he had to do it for the sake of his wife. After weeks of searching, all the women had been ided, and although it wasn't a goof thing at least he could work on finding common ground. He was learning; however, that his task was harder than he first anticipated, due to the fact that all the women were so different. All of them had their hair cut like Frankie except for the Brooke, and Greg realized that was the killer's way of evolving. He wanted to speak out now, and he wanted them to know that he knew what he was doing. This killer was becoming proud of his work, and he wanted to show off.

Greg was looking into the fake tattoos of the women when Nick had come in to check on him. "Tough case?"

Greg nodded. "Serial. And I can't find anything similar about these women."

"Oh, well how about you take a break? There's this woman here to see you who I thought was your girlfriend, but she's got this big old rock on her finger and this silver band to. What's that

about?"

Greg just looked at his colleague in shock. "So Frankie's here?"

Nick smiled and nodded. "Yeah, she's in the break room."

Greg let his mind be removed on his current case as he wandered out of the solitude within the lab and he entered the living world encased in the break room. Upon seeing the woman he loved, a smile was immediately struck across his face and joy spread through him. Frankie was feeling the same way and she had been feeling in such high spirits every time she looked at her ring. She was really glad that her and Greg had reunited and decided that marriage was their best option.

Frankie advanced towards Greg, and greeted him with a kiss. "You forgot your lunch again."

Greg laughed in spite of himself. "Oh thanks, honey."

"Are you having a tough time with this case?" She asked.

"It's just time consuming, but I'll manage."

Before she could say anymore Nick and Warrick walked in. By the grin in their expressions, Greg knew they were determined to grill him. No one had known Greg was planning on asking to marry Frankie, but then again hadn't Warrick done the same thing with his ex-wife Tina. Both men pulled up chairs and began their assault on the young couple. Nick, with a twinkle in his eyes, started with the questions. "So when did this happen?"

Frankie, the smarter of the two, played dumb. "Nick, Greg and I have been dating for awhile, I thought everyone knew."

Nick glared at her. "I know that, but the last time I saw you, there was no hunk of ice on your ring finger."

Frankie laughed at Nick's choice of words. "You don't have to sound like a gangster every time you speak to me, love."

Nick cracked a smile. "So what's the deal?"

Greg glanced at Frankie, and she just nodded. "Well we got married last night."

"Congratulations, that's good for you two. I'm glad."

Greg looked at the clock and groaned. He kissed the side of Frankie's face goodbye. "I have to go, but I'll see you at home."

Greg has gone back to his work sorting out all the case files. His head was spinning with all the thoughts that were mixing into his work.

He couldn't help but feel fear for Frankie, for as he looked over each case file he was constantly reminded of his new wife. He needed to figure this whole thing out, or he knew that something horrible would happen. When he answered his cell phone, much later, he learned that his paranoia had been justified.

"Frankie, calm down."

"Greg, Dorian is gone."

"Did he go over his cousins?"

"No, Greg, our house is trashed, Alexander's at work and Dorian is missing from school. There's a note."

"A Note?"

"I didn't touch it, but I think someone's out for revenge."


End file.
